


Remember, I Love You

by KentaroAsano



Category: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Assisted Suicide, M/M, Male Slash, Suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 14:27:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23044192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KentaroAsano/pseuds/KentaroAsano
Summary: Cures don't always work on everyone. What would have happened if Rufus was cured at the end of Advent Children but it turned out Reno Also had the Stigma but the cure did not work for him? Warning for Slash, character deaths later on, sexual content, and a trigger warning for strong suicide themes. I've been in a very funky mood lately so this is very angsty not for faint of heart!
Relationships: Reno/Rufus Shinra
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	1. My Firecracker

Rufus turned around with a startled jump as he heard a crash from the other room. Rushing into the bedroom he scanned the room, looking for Reno to make sure he was ok. The blonde froze in the doorway as his eyes locked on his lover. Reno stood by the dresser, a shattered picture laying on the floor. Bright red drops splattered down on the broken glass and onto the floor, glittering in the early morning light that was just starting to shine through the window. The redhead looked up as he heard Rufus rush into the room.

“Are you ok, Reno? What happened?”

“I’m fine” the redhead muttered angrily as he turned his back on the older man and held his hand, unable to keep the pained look off his face.

“You don’t seem ok” Rufus said as he walked over and gently yet firmly turned Reno around and took his hand in his to examine the damage.

There across his palm ran a long red line. It didn’t look too bad but it was bleeding pretty badly at the moment. Gently Rufus took the younger man by the shoulder and guided him to the bathroom and gently began to wash and clean the cut. Reno sat on the edge of the tub in silence, the only sound he made was an occasional wince in pain. A short time later Rufus was done and had wrapped Reno’s hand up. He stood there for a moment looking down at the redhead, who could be so annoying at time, yet who had also completely stolen what was left of his cold and bitter heart. With a soft sigh he reached over and brushed some of the fiery red hair back and looked at his lover.

“Want to tell me what happened Firecracker?” he said, hoping that using his pet name would make the redhead open up a little as he led Reno back to the bedroom and they sat down on the bed together.

“Just me being my normal clumsy stupid self” Reno muttered as he stared down at his bandaged hand.

“Reno, you know I don’t like it when you call yourself stupid. Now, what happened?”

“I couldn’t sleep again because of the pain. I knew you were in your study working and didn’t want to bother you. I was looking at the picture of us from that trip we took to the coast a few years ago.”

Rufus smiled sadly as he reached over and gently brushed the hair back behind Reno’s ear.

“You always have loved that photo, even though I look like a total nerd” Rufus said with a slight chuckle as he watched the redhead closely.

“Hey, I think you looked cute with the sunglasses” Reno said with a grin as he looked at the blonde. He gave a soft sigh as he continued. “Anyways…. I was looking at the photo and noticed it was kinda dirty. I decided to clean it and took the frame apart so I could clean the class better, and…”

“And you cut yourself on the glass,” Rufus said simply as he suspected he knew what had happened.

“Another one of those stupid spasms,” Reno said bitterly as he scowled at his injured hand, balling the other in a fist as tears of anger and frustration stung his eyes. “I can’t do anything anymore without worry about messing it up because of these stupid spasms!”

Rufus sat silently for a moment. These kinds of things were nothing new unfortunately. It had been three years since the Geostigma had largely been cured, yet for a small number of those affected with the Stigma, like Reno, the cure did not work. Those unfortunate souls were left with the Geostigma still rampant within their bodies and were cursed to live out the rest of their days with no hope for a cure. It had been a secret to most other than Rufus that Reno had also been struck with the Geostigma. At the redhead’s request, Rufus said nothing to the others and when the Lifestream cure took effect, Rufus was cured and he expected the same to hold true for his lover. Yet it was not to be. And now, three years later, the Stigma was spreading and was beginning to affect Reno more and more. 

His body was starting to breakdown under the effects of the Stigma attacking his body. The dark blotches that had originally spread across Reno’s upper back were now spreading and the dark marks were slowly wrapping up around his right shoulder and along the base of his neck. The intense pain and burning were getting worse as more and more of his body fell under the effect of the Geostigma. It had started simple enough with occasional numbness or radiating pain that made using his arm difficult. But now it was getting to where violent spasms would take hold, usually without any advance warning, sending his arm and hand into contorted convulsion he had no control over. Several times Reno had dropped and broken things and he had almost shot Rufus the first time the spasms hit as he had been at the firing range with him to do some target practice work. After that incident Reno stepped down as one of Rufus’ Turks, deeming himself to be too big of a liability to Rufus. The blonde had of course protected but was not able to persuade Reno to stay, though Rufus made it absolutely clear he held no blame towards the redhead and that he was not going to give up on the relationship they had.  
Rufus sighed as he looked over at the redhead and studied his lover closely.

“It’s not your fault” Rufus said gently as he put a finger under Reno’s chin and forced the redhead to look at him. “Remember, what I told you at the firing range. You did not ask for this and you are not responsible for what the Stigma does. You have no reason to be so hard on yourself.”

“Except that I am nothing but a burden to you now…” Reno muttered, averting his eyes from those piercing blue orbs that seem to be able to see right into his soul.

“Listen to me, Firecracker,” Rufus said in a soft and surprisingly gentle tone. “You are never a burden to me. It was I who chose you after all. You haven’t managed to drive me away yet, and I doubt the Stigma will be able to do it either.”

Reno turned slowly and looked up at the older man, his bright teal eyes meeting the blue eyes as they locked on to each other. Reno nodded slowly and then leaned forward, leaning his head against Rufus’ chest as he gave an exhausted sigh. Rufus wrapped his arms around him gently and held him close as he felt his lover’s body shudder slightly.

“Reno…Always remember, I love you” he whispered as he kissed the messy tangle of hair.

“I love you too Rufus” he muttered against his chest as he sighed and held onto the one lifeline he had left as if his life depended on it, because deep in his heart, he knew it did.

The two lovers sat there together for a long while, neither one saying a word, as the light of the morning sun shone in through the window and another day dawned.


	2. Flare Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note- Thanks for reading chapter 2! We will be learning more about what happened to Reno and finding out how sick he really is getting. Listen to the song Pompeii by Bastille to get an idea of what I was feeling for the mood of this chapter. And yes, I realize some will say I'm softening Rufus up too much but I choose to believe there came a time where that icy heart of his finally melted and that Reno was the cause. Thanks again and please review! :D

Later that afternoon the two lovers were sitting on the couch enjoying a quiet moment alone. Alone other than the massive black form that lay sprawled out on the floor at their feet. Reno looked down at the Guard Hound and smirked. Whoever the crazy scientist was who named this beast must have been so scared out their minds they couldn’t see straight, because it was painfully obvious that this was a cat- in every sense of the word both in appearance and behaviors. The redhead looked over at the other man sitting next to him and leaned his head on his chest. Rufus gently ruffled the messy red hair and smiled as he heard Dark Nation purring in her sleep.

“I’m glad the two of you have finally learned to get along,” he said with a chuckle.

“Yo, wasn’t my fault,” Reno said with mock pain in his voice. “The beast had it in for me from the first day I saw her!”

The two smiled at each other as they remember that day fondly. Reno was still fairly new to the Turks, having only been part of the team for about a month or so. He had been trying to find Rufus to deliver some important papers to him to sign. In his rush to complete the task the redhead had failed to knock on the office door and without thinking straight had opened the door and just walked in. An instant later he was staring into the snarling face of the Guard Hound. Like a flash, Dark Nation lunged at the intruder, sending Reno scrambling onto the desk in the Vice President’s office. A massive hole in the pant leg of his suite and shreds of black material hanging from Dark Nation’s mouth, Reno perched on the desk as the Guard Hound circled the desk menacingly. It wasn’t until Rufus got back to his office after what felt like an eternity that the young Turk was rescued. The two would go on to remember that day and Rufus would often take the opportunity to tease his love about that first encounter with his pet.

“You can’t really blame her though,” Rufus said as he leaned over and scratched the great cat behind the ears, earning a deep purr of gratitude. “For all she knew, you were an assassin come to get me. She was just doing her job. Weren’t you Dark Nation?”

Reno stuck is tongue out and leaned over and pet the great beast on the back fondly.  
“I am glad she doesn’t attack me anymore though,” he said in a serious tone. “I don’t think I’ve been that scared in my life before.”

Rufus laughed and pulled his lover closer and gently wrapped his arms around him, taking care to avoid the shoulder with the ugly black marks as much as he could. The redhead hardly wore a shirt anymore due to how painful and sensitive the Stigma mark was. On a bad day, even his own hair brushing against it felt like razors slicing at his skin. So, he opted to go shirtless most of the time. Reno leaned closer and snuggled against the older man’s chest and closed his eyes. One arm dangled off the couch and Dark Nation gave is a gentle loving lick before laying down and drifting to sleep. Soon the former Turk was sound asleep, safe and comfortable in his lovers’ strong and protective arms.  
.............

For several hours they stayed like that, Rufus unable and unwilling to disturb the redhead as it was getting harder and harder for Reno to sleep well due to the pain the Stigma was causing him. Rufus felt his own eyes start to go heavy and he began to nod off as well, one arm folded behind his head, the other nestled in the red tangle of hair that was tickling his chest. Sometime later Rufus felt something warm and wet on his hand. As he began to stir, he realized Dark Nation was licking his hand which had slid down off the couch. He gave her a gentle pet as he began to wake up. Suddenly he realized Dark Nation was growling slightly and kept nudging and licking at his hand as if she was trying to tell him something was wrong. 

Rufus pushed himself up slightly against the arm of the couch as he became aware of Reno laying against him. The redhead was hot with a fever and he was moaning in his sleep. The blonde cursed himself under his breath for falling asleep and letting his guard down. Reno had been doing fairly good for the most part until this morning, he had let his guard down. After struggling for a few minutes to get himself upright, Rufus held the smaller man close and laid a hand on his head and muttered a few choice swear words under his breath again. Shifting the redhead in his arms he stood, scooping Reno up into his arms and carried him back into the bedroom, Dark Nation following at his heels.

Rufus laid him on the bed gently and went to the bathroom, returning a few minutes later with a bowl of cool water and several clean washcloths. When he walked back into the bedroom, he couldn’t help but smile slightly as he saw Dark Nation laying on the bed next to Reno, his body dwarfed by the massive black form that was trying to lay as close to him as possible without squishing him. Rufus gently rubbed the cat behind the ears and sat on the edge of the bed and wet one of the washcloths and wrung it out.

As he placed it on the redhead's forehead he began to stir, his eyes opening slowly, his face etched with pain as his breath caught in his throat as he tried to speak.

“It’s alright, Reno…I’m right here” he whispered as he gently wet Reno’s face. “You’re running another fever,” he said a grim look on his face as the redhead shuddered and closed his eyes. They both knew what that meant.

Ever since the Stigma had lingered after most people were cured three years ago, Reno would suffer from random flares. He would spike a high fever, his pain levels would shoot through the roof, and if it was a particularly bad flare, he would end up with convulsions and full-blown seizures before the fever would start to subside. There was no rhyme or reason to the flares and no indication that one was about to come on other than the sudden onset of a fever. Rufus prayed this wouldn’t be a bad one, though he knew in his heart it likely would be since his lover had not had a bad flare in over a month. Reno broke through his thoughts as he spoke, his voice hoarse and cracking in his throat.

“Rufus… remember… remember I love… you” he said as his deep green eyes, shadowed with the pain he was already feeling, looked up into the bright blue eyes of his lover.

“And I love you,” Rufus said softly as he wet the cloth and placed it back on Reno’s forehead.

For what felt like an eternity Rufus sat there, trying to keep his lover as comfortable as he could. He hated feeling so useless and helpless. He could face a firing squad or a horde of assassins and he would not feel the faintest flicker of fear. When Reno was having a bad day and when the Geostigma flared he felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. He would rather endure any type of pain himself than being forced to watch the man he loved suffer and know that there was little he could do to help him. 

Dark Nation seemed to feel the same as she lay beside the former Turk and nuzzled him gently as the redhead lay on the bed groaning in pain. As the big cat gently licked at Reno’s cheek the redhead opened his eyes weakly and looked at Dark Nation then at Rufus.

“What is…” he groaned as another wave of pain washed over him, stealing even the very breath from his lungs. 

“She wants you to hold her if you need to,” Rufus said simply, his sad eyes looking down at the two living beings that meant all the world to him. “Dark Nation would lay beside me when the Geostigma would take hold of me to the point I could do nothing but cry from the pain. She never moved from my side and she would stay with me through the worst of the flares. I think she wants to do the same for you now” he said simply, surprised to find that his vision was blurring slightly with tears. 

Reno looked up at his love and then shifted in the bed so he was on his side a bit more and wrapped his arms around the mass of black fur that lay beside him. Dark Nation moved closer so her body was pressed firmly yet gently against Reno’s and purred softly as the redhead began to tremble, his arms tightening their hold on the feline and a painful moan escaping his lips.


	3. Stigma's Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to the song Love You Forever by Ryan Huston to get an idea of what I was feeling for the mood of this chapter. We will be getting a closer look into the relationship between Reno and Rufus as well as what life has been like since the events of Advent Children.

A knock on the door caught Rufus’ attention and reluctantly he left Reno’s side and went to the door. He was prepared to yell at whoever it was who was bothering them but his face softened when he opened the door to see the massive form of Rude standing there. Rufus gave a soft smile, secretly thankful that he didn’t have to be alone for what he was going to have to face. After all that had happened over the last few years, Rude was the one member of the Turks who were still a fairly regular presence in their lives. Tseng had all but disappeared two years ago and barely came around at all. Elena would still come now and then but hated seeing Reno suffer. But she did call often to check in on them. Rude though, he still cared greatly about his former partner and would come by weekly if not more often to visit and help when he could. Rufus ushered the Turk in and Rude nodded slightly as he walked in.

“How is he?” he asked simply, though the look in his boss’ eyes told him all he needed to know.

He followed Rufus into the bedroom. Reno lay in the bed, his face and chest wet with sweat. Rufus took his spot on the bed once again and gently rubbed Dark Nation’s back as the cat looked up at Rude, judging whether he was welcomed or not. Rude grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it up beside the bed with a heavy sigh. Slowly Reno’s eyes opened a bit and he gave a weak grin up at his old partner.

“Hey Rude,” he said, his voice a hoarse whisper. “Sorry, you… have to see… see me like this…”

“Reno, do us a favor and shut up,” Rude said with a playful tone contrasting the look on his face.

“Sure thing, yo” Reno said with a faint laugh before he started coughing, his breathing becoming ragged and shallow once again as another wave of pain washed over him.

Hours passed as Reno lay there in the bed, crying out in pain as the Stigma took him. Rufus had been right; this was going to be a bad flare and Reno was already suffering its effects. As the fever spiked to its highest, the redhead’s body shook with convulsions as he cried out again and again as the waves of pain washed over him. Rufus did his best to comfort his lover as he gently stroked the red locks that were drenched with sweat away from his face, whispering what comforting words he could think of to try and help ease his suffering at least a little. He placed a soft kiss on the top of Reno’s head.

His eyes never moved off of his lover. He didn’t care that Rude was there watching. It had been no secret how he felt for the firecracker Turk and everyone knew how far their relationship went. Rufus had always made it a point to not let his relationship with Reno interfere with either of their jobs. That was until the day Rufus was cured and Reno wasn’t. From that day on, Rufus saw himself no longer as the President of Shinra Corp, he was now caretaker and provider for the man who meant more to him than anyone or anything in his life. Everything else became second place in his eyes.

“He’ll be ok, boss,” Rude said simply, an unusually soft tone in his voice. 

“I know… he has to be” Rufus muttered as his heart broke once again watching his lover’s body shake with the convulsions that laid hold. 

Dark Nation never moved from beside the trembling form, even when Reno’s hold on her tightened. It took Rufus physically pulling him away before she moved off the bed, and even then, she sat on the floor next to Rude, her head resting on the bed. Rufus set down the bowl of water, now stained black with the ink-like ooze of the Stigma, as he pulled Reno’s still trembling form into his arms, propping the redhead up against his chest to try and help him breathe a little easier. With a heavy sigh, he looked up at Rude.

“Would you go get the kit for me Rude? It should be in the living room, under the couch.”

Rude nodded silently and stood, turning towards the door before Rufus could see the look on his face. As annoying as the redhead could be, they had saved each other's lives on countless missions in the past and he still held a soft spot in his heart for the rebellious former Turk. And he haded seeing his old partner like this. A few minutes later he returned with a small black case and sat back down, the case seems so small in his massive hands.

“Thank you” Rufus whispered softly as he took the box and set it on the bed beside him and opened it. With the skill of someone who had performed the same actions countless times over the years, he picked up a small glass vial and a hypodermic needle. In what seemed like one fluid movement he had a small amount of the liquid drawn up.

“You sure about this boss?” Rude asked simply. “You know the doctors said it’s still considered an experimental drug. We don’t know what the long term effects of using it could mean for him.”

“I don’t know what other choices we have. The flares have been getting worse and worse over the last few months. This is the only thing that ends the flares and eases his pain. I know the risks involved with giving him the shots…but I can’t let him suffer like this anymore. He hasn’t needed it in over a month…so I have to hope his body will be able to handle it. He can’t take this flare much longer. I have to do something!”

Rude looked at his boss and saw the tears forming in the normally stone-cold eyes and nodded. He had been there for times like this before, though it had been quite some time. It never got any easier seeing the way Reno suffered from the Stigma, and how Rufus tried to be the same cold-hearted and stony man he once was. But Rude knew better. He knew what the blonde's relationship with the firecracker had done to him. Rude was silently thankful that this flare, though bad, was far from as bad as that first one that had taken them by surprise....it had almost killed Reno that day. Scooting the chair closer to the bed he leaned over and gripped the redhead’s trembling arm, holding it still as Rufus prepared himself for what he knew had to be done. Thankfully, Reno’s pale skin made it easy to see the veins and after three years of doing it, Rufus got it on his first try, despite the tremors that still shook his lover’s body.

With a sigh Rufus put the vial back in the case and closed it dropping the needle and syringe into the wastebasket by the bed. Rude sat back in his chair and silently rubbed Dark Nation’s head as the feline watched intently, a concerned meow escaping as she licked at Reno’s hand. Slowly the trembling stopped and Rufus felt his heart jump slightly as Reno’s eyes fluttered open. The fever was finally breaking, and a short time later the redhead’s body began to relax and his breathing grew less strained and ragged. His eyes finally opened and his body calmed at last. Rufus laid his lover back against the pillows, keeping him somewhat propped up. The worse of the flare was behind them at last, though if there was one thing Rufus had learned about the Stigma over the last few years it was to never get complacent and never let your guard down.

His focus was drawn to the large shadow that had leaped up on the bed and was gently nuzzling the redhead’s hand so it was resting on her head. Reno’s eyes fluttered open and he looked over at Dark Nation and managed a weak smile as he looked up at Rufus who was also smiling fondly at the great feline.

“I think she’s decided to adopt you,” Rufus said as he gently rubbed Dark Nation’s head. “She would hardly leave my side when I had the Stigma and I think she now feels a responsibility to take care of you. She knows I am ok now and that you need her just as I did.”

“You are just… a big fluff ball… after all” Reno whispered his voice strangely soft and ragged as he weakly patted the great cat that lay beside him. 

“Think you can get a little water down for me Firecracker?” Rufus asked as he picked up a small glass of water and held it out towards Reno.

“I… yeah.. sounds really…good right now…” the redhead whispered is voice cracking.  
Rufus handed the glass out and Reno reached out a still trembling hand and then stopped letting his hand fall into his lap.

“Maybe… you should…” he muttered his voice thick with pain and also embarrassment. Reno hated how weak and pathetic he was after a big Stigma flare. He used to be one of the best Turks in the company, and now he couldn’t even get a drink of water without needing help.

Rufus just nodded and lifted the glass and slowly helped his lover take a few slow sips, rubbing his back when the coughing fits took hold. Once the glass was about half empty, Rufus set it down and helped Reno get as comfortable as he could. Looking at Rude he gave a slight nod and then leaned over and kissed Reno gently.

“I have to discuss some things with Rude. We’ll just be over at my desk.”

Reno returned the kiss and nodded. He gave a weak smile as Dark Nation jumped up on the bed making it creak slightly under her weight. She laid down beside him and rested her massive head in Reno’s lap as he gently petted her.

“Always remember, I love you,” Rufus said as he gave his lover’s hand a gentle squeeze and then turned and walked to the far side of the room where his desk was set in the corner and motioned for Rude to sit as well.

“So, Rude,” he said with a sigh as he rubbed his temples trying to push back the migraine that threatened to explode within his head. “Do you have an update for me?”


	4. OmegaStigma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note- Thanks for making it to chapter 4! I know, I know I’m so mean to Reno…and it’s not going to be going very well for our redhead Turk I’m afraid. In this chapter, we get some key details about the Stigma and some insight into why Reno was not cured when Rufus was. There may also be a little flashback in here somewhere ;) I recommend you listen to the song Stop and Stare by One Republic to get an idea of what I was feeling for the mood of this chapter.

“Always remember I love you too” Reno whispered back as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

With his firecracker resting on the bed nearby, Rufus managed to pull his attention to the folder Rude had put down on the desk. He picked it up and leafed through the pages, scanning them to try and get the gist of what they were about. After a few minutes he looked up at Rude.

“This is… about the Stigma?”

Rude nodded silently.

“Have they gotten closer to working out out another cure?” Rufus said, struggling to keep the hopeful tone out of his voice.

“Unfortunately, no” Rude said slowly, watching his boss closely. He knew how much was riding on this research. He also knew how much it would mean to Rufus, and of course Reno, to get a cure for the Stigma developed.   
Rufus sighed, feeling his heart sink somewhat as he picked up the folder again and started leafing through it once more. His eyes fell on a headline at the top of one of the pages that read Omegastigma.

“What is Omegastigma?”

“That is what I need to talk to you about, boss” Rude said simply as he took off the dark shades and looked at Rufus. His rarely seen golden hazel eyes locked onto those pleading blue eyes and he sighed. He silently prayed Rufus would be able to process this news ok.

“Does this have something to do with what Reno has?”

“It is what Reno has” Rude responded and he picked up the folder and slide one of the sheets towards the blonde.

“They are calling it Omegastigma. It seems to be a mutation of the Geostigma that you and so many others had. We already know that Reno is one of only a small percentage of people who had the Stigma but were not cured along with everyone else.”

“Is it because it’s not the same type of Stigma?” Rufus asked as he looked over the comparison data on the sheet. 

“Correct. There was a rare mutation that did not respond to the cure as Geostigma did. As of now, we do not know what the specific mutation is or how exactly it is different. One thing we know for sure is it is a more severe yet slower progressing type of Stigma. That is why Reno is still alive three years after you were cured. Geostigma killed people quickly. Omegastigma seems to kill slowly and causes more…. prolonged symptoms and…. slower death.”

“So…” Rufus said looking down at the paper, unable to make his eyes meet Rude’s as he struggled to ask the question be both did and did not want to know the answer to. “So… how long…does… does Reno have?”

“There’s no definitive answer. The researchers at Shinra have only been able to locate 7 other individuals with Omegastigma. The samples and data are very limited. Having access to Reno has made their work much easier but there is still much we do not know.” Rude leaned back in the chair and sighed as he rubbed his head, trying to shake the emerging pounding sensation banging behind his skull. “We know it is most likely not contagious since so few people have it and those who never had Geostigma have not come down with it either. But we do not yet know anything about how long it takes to progress other than we are looking at years rather than months.”

“And Reno has already used up three years since he came down with the Stigma a few months before I was cured. Shit… so there’s no way to know how much time he has left.”

“Afraid not…”

Rufus shifted through the papers, coming to Reno’s datasheet. At the top was a small photo of the Turk. Rufus stopped and looked at the picture, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. The photo was from Reno’s first year of training when he joined the Turks and it showed the spunky, wild-spirited, discourteous, and firecracker of a young man he had fallen in love with so long ago. Rufus smiled running fingers over the photo and drifted back to a happier memory…

_“You know, you really need to hire a maid to help you get this place cleaned up a bit” Rufus chuckled as he picked up a pair of boxers and threw them at the redhead lounging on the couch._

_“Yo cut it out! “ Reno whined as he swatted away the boxers that had been aimed at his head. “It’s not like I could afford to hire a maid on what we make working for you.”_

_“Ouch, now that was harsh,” Rufus said, feigning an insulted look and tone. _

_“Well, you could always decide to give me a raise” the Turk quipped as he winked at his boss._

_“Yeah, not gonna happen. Nice try though” the blonde said with a laugh as he walked over and sat down next to the redhead on the couch._

_“What? Isn’t that the only reason you fraternize with the help?” Reno quipped as he grabbed the open can of beer off the coffee table and leaned back, kicking his feet up on the edge of the table. “I mean, I’m sure there is a long list of former Turks who have sat where I am now right?”_

_Reno looked over with a playful smirk on his face. The grin faded though as he looked at the blonde and could almost swear there was a look of sadness in his eyes._

_“You really think, that after a year of putting up with you that this is something I do on a whim?”_

_“Well, I mean…” Reno stammered, suddenly not sure how to respond. “I mean, you are the Vice President, you could get anything you wanted….anyone you wanted…”_

_“That’s right and what I want is to spend time with the firecracker Turk,” he said, his eyes shining brightly as he looked over at the young man sitting beside him._

_“Well, here I am yo,” Reno said with a grin as he took a drink of his beer._

_Rufus was silent for a moment as he looked at the redhead and then sighed and leaned back on the couch and took a drink from his own beer. _

_“So, ummm Rufus….” Reno stammered, still totally uncomfortable calling his boss by his first name. “Why… did you want to hang out this weekend?”_

_“I had a break from the old man for once and couldn’t stand being stuck in the office any longer. Did you have some big plans for the weekend I am messing up? Ruining your plans for the stripper girls coming over?” Rufus said as he saw Reno’s face flush. _

_It was no secret which way the redhead Turk swung. After a year on the team, it was well known the young man had no interest whatsoever in females. No one seemed bothered by that obvious fact other than Tseng, who just judge quietly as he always did with everything anyways. Rufus had found himself intrigued by the firecracker of a man from the moment he had first met him, and though Reno could prove to be frustrating and very annoying at times, he was a skilled fighter, extremely loyal to the team, and it was undeniable he was a very attractive young man. _

_“Hey now man” Reno muttered trying to hide his embarrassment. “You know I don’t swing that way…” The redhead stared down at his hands in silence as he felt Rufus’ gaze upon him._

_Why did he have to be such a tease all the time? Reno had to work so hard to hide just what he felt for his boss most of the time. The man was drop-dead gorgeous, even when he was throwing one of his famed temper tantrums. Rufus could be a bit rough around the edges and come off as cold and uncaring. But as he and the blonde started spending more time together, it became apparent that Rufus really was a good guy inside- he just had a rough exterior. Reno had an idea that it was from being hurt in the past and being resistant to letting anyone get too close to him._

_“Oh I know,” Rufus said, bringing Reno out of his thoughts as he turned and looked at the blonde. “And I must say, I am very glad for that” Rufus replied as he scooted closer and leaned over towards the redhead._

_“R…Rufus…what…” but Reno couldn’t finish his question because just then the blonde leaned over and pressed his lips gently against his. Reno felt his mind go numb as fire shot up from inside his chest. Without having to even think about how he was going to react, Reno leaned into the kiss and laid his hand gently on the hand that was resting on the couch between them. The firecracker let himself surrender to the desire he had kept in check for the past year and returned the kiss.  
_

The memory was broken as Rufus heard his name being called. Turning he looked towards the bed where Reno was calling out in his dreams. Rufus walked over to the bed and sat down beside Dark Nation and gently kissed his lover’s forehead. Reno slowly calmed as his body relaxed and his breathing slowed. Sleepy eyes opened as Reno looked up at him and smiled weakly.

“Hello there, sleepyhead” Rufus whispered as he leaned over and kissed Reno gently.


	5. A Little Broken

Listen to the song Broken by LovelyTheBand to get an idea of what I was feeling for the mood of this chapter. In this chapter we have a rare moment between Reno and Rufus where for one special moment it is as if there was no Stigma. Mostly smut in this chapter but felt it was owed to the boys to have a special moment after all the crap that they have bee through and everything that is still yet to come.

It had been a week since the flare-up and Reno had recovered surprisingly quickly for once. Reno had even been up for a little visit from Elena just yesterday and it had done Rufus wonders to see his firecracker actually smile and laugh for a change. 

Rufus smiled as he heard the redhead walk into the small kitchen and walk up behind where he was standing at the sink. Reno leaned over the blonde, pushing him against the counter slightly as he reached his arms around his lover and put his plate in the sink. Leaning in closer, Reno softly kissed Rufus’ neck and wrapped his arms around him.

“Feeling good this morning eh?” Rufus said as he turned his head to look at the redhead.

“Hmmm… what gave you that idea?” Reno said as he nuzzled the side of his lover’s neck.

“ Call it a hunch,” Rufus said simply as he pushed Reno back away just enough for him to turn around and face him, wrapping his arms around his neck and kissing him gently. 

“Have any meetings today?’

“Nope, they all have just been canceled” Rufus muttered as he ran his hand through the fiery locks that he adored so much as Reno laid his head against his shoulder.

“Tseng won’t be too happy about that…” Reno said glancing at his lover.

“Tseng can go kiss his own ass for all I care,” Rufus said, a surprisingly serious tone to his voice. “I am not going anywhere today,” he said as he kissed the top of his firecracker’s head.

Good days were few and far between for them so when one came around, Rufus always made it a point to drop any and all plans he had and spend that time with Reno. There had been a day of boring meetings and paperwork and a meeting with Tseng planned for the day. Rude was going to come by and stay with Reno for the day. Those plans were being changed- right now!

Rufus reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell and hit the speed dial for Rude.

“Yeah Rude. Plans are changing. Right, you can have the day off, just do me one favor. Call Tseng and tell him I’m not coming in and the meetings are all canceled. Yes Rude, that is an order.” Rufus gave a slight smirk as he hung up.

“Poor Rude” Reno said with a sympathetic chuckle.

“He’ll live. And Tseng will have to just deal with it. Because today is our day” Rufus said as he pulled Reno to him and kissed him.

The cell laying on the counter started to vibrate. Glancing at the phone Reno looked up at Rufus. Tseng was calling, most likely to yell and scream at Rufus again. Rufus picked up the phone, looked at it and smiled as he put his arm around his lover and pulled him towards the bedroom, dropping the still vibrating phone on the dresser. 

……………

Reno sat on the edge of the bed and dropped his black sweats onto the floor as his eyes locked with the deep blue eyes of his lover. Rufus stood there looking at his firecracker, his eyes moving over the exposed body of the man he loved. There was no rough brain bashing sex anymore as most days, anything more than a gentle caress or embrace was excruciating for the redhead. When a good day happened only once every few months, any time together was as absolutely perfect, and they made sure to take advantage of it.

“You have too many clothes on still” Reno said, that familiar playback in his voice for once.

“Well, I guess I will have to remedy that,” the blonde said as he started to undress. 

Didn’t take long till the clothes were in a pile on the floor. Unless he was attending official Shinra business he hardly wore his suit anymore. Walking forward he let his shirt fall to the floor as he gently pushed the redhead back down into the bed and crawled up beside him. Rufus propped himself up on his elbow and looked at his lover as the redhead reached out and pulled the blonde close and kissed him. Rufus moaned into the kiss and twined his fingers in the tangled mess of fiery hair. Reno’s fingers lightly traced over the blonde’s chiseled chest smiling as he watched his lover shiver under his touch.

“Rufus…” he whispered, “I want your hands on me.”

Rufus looked down at his love and for that one moment, willing himself to stop and remember that look. It had been so long since he had seen that passion and spark in those emerald green eyes. He knew there was no guarantee they would get another day like this anytime soon. So, he was going to make the most of it.

“Where?” He asked, tracing a finger down Reno’s chest, taking care to avoid the Stigma marks as much as possible.

“Everywhere” the redhead whispered, his voice thick with need. It had been months since they had been able to be together like this, and even the slightest touches were driving him mad. And he wanted more. He needed more.  
Rufus kissed his firecracker then moved so Reno was laying on his side and he pressed his body against his as he wrapped strong, protective arms around his lover. One arm snaked up around his chest as he pulled Reno’s body firmly yet gently against his, the other hand sliding down over the growing bulge as he slipped his hand under his lover’s boxers.

A soft whimper escaped Reno and Rufus nuzzled the redhead’s neck and whispered, his lips brushing against his ear.

“Want me to stop?”  
“Don’t… you… dare” Reno groaned as his body arched back against his lover’s, one hand clinging to the arm wrapped around his chest the other desperately trying to rid himself of the offensive boxers.

……………………..

Reno and Rufus lay in the bed, wrapped in each other’s arms. Rufus gently brushed the wet strands of hair from his lover’s face and watched as he dozed in his arms. Things might have changed over the last few years because of the Stigma, but every moment that they had together was a moment Rufus treasured. And though he knew this day couldn’t last forever he knew he was never going to forget it. Reno stirred slightly as he nuzzled Rufus’ chest and tightened his hold around the blonde’s waist. Rufus smiled and kissed the top of his head and ran his fingers through the wild tangle of red hair. 

“Hey sleepyhead,” he said softly. “Time to wake up.”

“Hmmm… no” came the muffled reply from the redhead as he buried his head against his lover’s chest and sighed. “Don’t wanna…”

“Reno,” he said with a laugh. “Still gotta get cleaned up you know.”

Reno sighed and lifted his head and smirked at his love as he sat up in the bed.

“Oh if you insist” Reno stood, the sheets falling away from his waist as he turned and started towards the bathroom, which thankfully was attached to the bedroom. He looked over his shoulder to see Rufus still laying in the bed.

“Yo, what ya waiting for Rufus?”

“Oh, just enjoying the show,” Rufus said as his eyes scanned the thin but still sculpted body of his lover. The Stigma had taken its toll to be sure. Reno was not the muscled young man he had known just a few years ago, but he was still drop-dead gorgeous. Rufus didn’t see the scars from past missions and battles. He didn’t see the black marks of the Stigma that continued to spread over the pale skin. All he saw was the man he loved more than anything in the entire world. He smiled as he looked at the redhead who had a mock look of shock on his face.

“Pervert!” Reno exclaimed as he flashed his lover a grin and continued on towards the bathroom.

“You know you love it,” Rufus quipped back as he stood and followed the redhead.

………………………

While the house Rufus had gotten on the outskirts of Midgar was small and modest by the standards of what he had known for most of his life, it was still an impressive spread. The bathroom was large and spacious and the walk-in shower was bigger than some people’s entire bathrooms! Rufus stood in the doorway of the bathroom as he watched his firecracker. The large shower had clear glass doors and a deep bench seat ran around two sides of the shower. In the middle was the shower chair that Reno typically used. Rufus watched as his lover ran the shower, the steam soon starting to fill the bathroom. He flashed a smile when the redhead turned and looked at him.

“Going to just stand there like a creepy old man, or are you going to join me?” 

‘All ya gotta do is ask” Rufus said as he pushed himself off the doorframe and made his way towards the shower, as he took the hand offered to him.

“I don’t know when we will get another day like this” Reno whispered as he stepped into the shower and pulled the blonde in with him and wrapped his arms around him as the hot water started to fall down on them. “I want to enjoy every moment that we have.”

Rufus gave a soft moan and slowly pulled free from his lover's embrace and gently pushed Reno down into the chair. He stood there a moment, watching the water run over the pale skin, the fiery red hair darkening with the water. Dropping to his knees in front of his lover, Rufus reached up and pulled the redhead closer and kissed him passionately. Breaking the kiss with a soft gasp he placed kissed down his lover’s neck and collarbone, and down his chest. 

Reno’s breath caught in his throat as a long, deep moan escaped his lips. It had been far too long since he had felt this way, and he wanted to remember every second of it. The Stigma might be trying to take everything he had away, but Reno knew the one thing it couldn’t take from him was the love that he and Rufus had. That was something nothing, not even the planet, could take away from them.

Reno cried out in pleasure as he felt his lover’s lips and tongue on his stomach and ran his fingers through the wet locks and pushed his lover down lower, his body trembling with the desire and pleasure that was boiling up inside of him. He didn’t care if tomorrow he couldn’t get out of bed. Hell, he could die tomorrow and he would go happy knowing he had gone out letting his love have his way with him.

Rufus pulled back slightly and looked up at his lover who whimpered softly and looked down at him.

“Don’t.. stop… Please don’t stop…” Reno gasped.

“As you wish” Rufus said letting his lover’s hand guide him back down, with no plans to stop until his lover was satisfied. 

…………………

As they laid back in the bed, Rufus watched as Reno slept, curled up against him. He smiled as he leaned over and kissed the redhead’s forehead gently. Rolling onto his back he reached over and grabbed the phone that had gone ignored and forgotten all day. It was evening now and the lights of the city in the distance shone through the window as Rufus looked at his phone. He sighed as he looked at the display. 

Ten missed calls, five voice mails, and a dozen or so texts… all from Tseng. Shaking his head he tossed the phone onto the pile of clothes that still lay beside the bed. He knew there would be hell to pay tomorrow, but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered but this moment, right here, right now. Snuggling close to Reno he wrapped his arms around him and held him close as he closed his eyes, listening to the beating of his lover’s heart and his soft breathing.

“Reno…” he whispered softly to the sleeping form in his arms. “Remember, I love you.”


	6. Making the Choice

Chapter 6: Making the Choice Reno is getting worse as the Stigma continues to spread and attack his body. Rude and Elena pay a visit to check on their friend and Tseng makes it known he is not pleased with the way things are going. The song Chained to You by Savage Garden can help set the mood for this chapter.

“I knew you were overdoing it the other day,” Rufus said brushing the hair back from Reno’s face with a sad smile as he looked at the read head curled up against him. 

“Maybe I did. But it was worth it” Reno said as he smiled up at his lover and stroked his cheek gently. “A day with you is worth any price I’d have to pay. You are always worth the pain” Reno whispered as he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his lover’s chest and waited for the wave of pain to subside.

“And that just shows how crazy you are, my firecracker” Rufus said softly as he leaned over and kissed his lover softly, the redhead returning the kiss.

It had been two days and while Reno had been having more and more pain, it was still better than his flare days. He was at least able to get out of the bed and do some things at least, so they were counting it as a good day. A knock on the door interrupted the kiss causing Rufus to pull back with a sigh of annoyance.

“They really need to work on their timing,” he said rolling his eyes and laughing, earning a slight chuckle from Reno as he reluctantly let go.

Standing up, Rufus went to the door and opened it, welcoming Rude and Elena in with a smile.

“How’s Reno doing?” Elena asked anxiously. Rufus lifted his arm, motioning to where Reno sat on the couch, Dark Nation curled up at his feet like a giant oversized housecat. 

“Go and ask him for yourself,” Rufus said with a smirk as he watched the petite blonde rush over to see her friend as he and Rude watched in silence for a moment.

“I’m glad those two are still so close,” Rude said simply as he took off the dark shades and placed them in his coat pocket.

“I am glad all of us are,” Rufus said with a slight sigh. “It makes things so much easier on Reno to know he’s not alone and forgotten. And I won’t lie, it makes it easier for me as well”

Rude nodded as he followed Rufus into the living room and pulled up a chair and sat with the others. Rufus took his normal spot on the couch beside Reno as Elena remained perched on the arm of the couch next to Reno. For a time, much was as close to normal as things had been for quite some time. The four sitting in that room, who had grown to become more than just employer and employees, talked, reminisced, and dreamt of what tomorrow might hold for them. Rufus sat and watched them, his heart feeling strangely calm and lifted as he watched his firecracker smile and laugh. He thought back to the first times he had met the three of them, and the way their relationships had grown over the years, and how they got to where they were today. 

Elena had long been a mystery to him and still never ceased to amaze him with her spunk and initiative and power, despite her outwards appearance. Rude had proven over the years to be much more than just the muscle of the group and had shown he had a heart just as big and strong as he was. And Reno, it had caught him off guard when he first felt that unfamiliar pain in his heart, but over time, the redhead had taught him how to trust again and how to finally allow himself to love another. Then there was Tseng. Rufus sighed as he felt a strange mix of sadness and bitterness fill him. Tseng had long been his second in command but when he fell ill with the Stigma, things began to change… and when Reno started getting worse a few years ago, it was as if Tseng had cut ties with everyone and saw everything as a business relationship and nothing else. 

Rufus shook his head to clear away the memories. He looked down and smiled as he felt Reno shift and snuggle against him slightly. Rufus slid his arm around the redhead’s shoulder and held him close. As he sat there listening to the conversations as time ticked by, Reno started drifting to sleep, the exhaustion and pain starting to lay hold. Rufus looked down a short time later at the sleeping redhead and kissed the top of his head lightly.

“There’s no good time to bring this up” Elena said as she looked at the sleeping Reno. “But now is as good a time as any I guess.” She got up from the couch and took the empty chair beside Rude.

“What’s up, Elena?” Rufus asked, though he had a hunch he knew what it was about.

“Tseng” Rude said simply, his hazel eyes growing dark.

Rufus sighed. He knew this conversation was going to happen eventually. Shifting Reno slightly so he could pull his arm free, he leaned his firecracker back gently. Leaning over, his arms resting on his knees as Dark Nation lifted her head and licked his hand before laying back down, Rufus looked over at Rude and Elena. 

“So, what does the wet blanket want?” Rufus said with a hint of disgust in his voice. He and Tseng had had a fair number of arguments and exchanges over the last two years. Tseng did not approve of how Rufus was managing things and felt he was spending too much time with Reno and ignoring his duties to the company and to the Turks. Rufus had a feeling that it had something to do with him blowing off the meetings and planned events the other day.

“Tseng is… well how do I say this” Elena muttered.

“He is pissed,” Rude said simply.

“Yes, that’s one way to put it bluntly,” Elena said shooting Rude a look. “He… he feels you are ignoring your responsibilities and that your time with Reno is putting the company in jeopardy.”

“Well that’s tough,” Rufus said with a scoff. “That’s what I have the Turks for. Why is he getting his pants all in a twist now?”

“We think he is planning on putting forward a vote of no confidence against you with the board,” Rude said as he watched his boss closely.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me” Rufus said as he stared at Rude in disbelief. 

“Afraid not, Sir” Elena said. “He’s already told us several times he feels he would do a better job running the company and overseeing the Turks than you are. He feels the board will agree with him.”

“Well, that surely complicates things,” Rufus said with a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. “Looks like we may have to put our plan into action sooner than I had wanted to.

Rude and Elena nodded in agreement as they began discussing their plans.

……………..

“Well then come over and say it to my face, Tseng! You know where I live, though I guess you might have forgotten since you haven’t even bothered to come by in over two years!”

Rufus sighed as he tossed the phone on the table and slumped down on the couch.

“Well that could have gone…” Elena started uncomfortably.

“Better” Rude finished. 

“Well, I guess Tseng is coming over to chew me out face to face for a change” Rufus muttered.

“Guess he’s really pissed off at me huh?” Reno said as he looked up at his lover apologetically. “I don’t want to be causing you any more trouble than I already have Rufus…”

“Hush. No crazy talk. You know there is absolutely nothing in the world that means more to me than you do, firecracker. Nothing is going to change that. Remember, I love you Reno, always.”

Reno nodded weakly as he laid his head back in Rufus’ shoulder. The short nap on the couch had not been all that restful and his body ached from the Stigma. His breathing was growing more and more ragged and Rufus looked him with concern in his eyes.

I… I’m fine” Reno said trying keep from coughing, though each breath was starting to burn and he was starting to struggle to get a full breath. As a coughing fit laid hold, Reno’s entire body tenses and he coughed, leaving him doubled over and gasping for air with each ragged cough that escaped him. 

“Coughs been getting worse,” Elena said softly, making more of a statement than asking a question. 

Rufus nodded as he rubbed Reno’s back to help him breathe a little easier. What felt like an eternity later, the coughing subsided but Reno was still struggling to catch his breath and he was trembling slightly with exhaustion. His lungs felt like they were on fire as he felt the Stigma burn. Every breath hurt and made the next one all the more difficult. Rufus placed a hand on his lover’s head- at least he wasn’t running a fever on top of everything.

Rufus hated seeing his lover like this. With a nod to Rude and Elena, he stood and scooped the smaller male up into his arms. He did this often but every time he did, he felt his heart break a little at how frail his lover was becoming. Rufus shifted him gently in his arms as Reno wrapped his arms around his neck and closed his eyes, his breathing ragged and shallow. Rufus carried him back into the bedroom, Dark Nation jumping up and following at his heels.

Laying his lover down on the bed, he gently stroked the fiery red hair. Reno smiled weakly as he started to cough again, each breath in getting more and more difficult until he could hardly get in any air at all as another wave of pain washed over him. Rufus adjusted the pillows and then picked up the oxygen mask and adjusted the band. He placed the mask over his lover’s mouth and nose. Reno slowly started to relax as his breathing grew slower and deeper. His lungs still burned but he didn’t feel like he was suffocating any longer. Reno grabbed Rufus’ hand and gave it a slight squeeze as he closed his eyes, his face twisting slightly in pain and he slowly drifted off to a restless sleep. Rufus sat there watching his lover for a moment, making sure he was resting as comfortably as he could.

“Watch over him for me girl,” he said as he rubbed Dark Nation behind the ears. With a surprisingly graceful leap for such a big creature, she jumped up on the bed and laid down beside the redhead. Dark Nation took her normal spot alongside Reno, her body pressed against his, her head resting on his stomach. Reno’s fingers ran through the dark fur as he slept. Slowly Rufus stood and walked out, joining Rude and Elena in the living room once again. 

“Reno is ok?” Elena asked as she looked up at Rufus, her face and voice full of concern.

“He’ll be fine” Rufus said as he fell back into the couch with an exhausted sigh.   
“  
But the Stigma is still getting worse...” Elena said to no one in particular as she stared down at the floor. “He seemed so good earlier, but now…”

“That is how the Omegastigma is” Rude said somberly. “It can flare quickly and often without much warning. And it can manifest itself in a variety of ways.”

“The last update I got from RnD was that they have identified three main symptom categories that most of those diagnosed with Omegastigma can experience” Rufus reached into the drawer of the side table and pulled out one of the file folders and began to read from one of the pages: “Three major identifying symptoms of Omegastigma include spontaneous and rapid onset of high fever which can lead to seizures, widespread chronic pain along with loss of energy and coordination, and finally severe and often debilitating pain in area directly impacted by the Stigma.”

“And Reno has all of them,” Elena said bitterly.

“At one time or another yes, he experiences them all on a regular basis,” Rufus said as he put the folder down on the couch beside him and rubbed his head. “Though there is no apparent pattern or cycle that we can identify.”   
“And the Stigma is continuing to spread?” Rude asked though he knew the answer to the question.

“Reno now has more of the Stigma manifesting than I did, and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of it slowing down. One thing that seems to be setting Omegastigma apart from what I had is how it spreads. The Geostigma I had mostly manifested on the surface, and more severe cases had more extensive visual presence. However, Omegastigma seems to behave more like a cancer that stays hidden much of the time. While Reno has the visible marks we can see, the Stigma is spreading much more inside where we can’t see it.”

“How bad is he?” Rude asked, his gruff voice unusually soft.

“Aside from the visible spread on his back, arm, and neck, the doctors said the last time they checked a few months ago it was in his lungs, which is why he’s having trouble breathing now, as well as in the brain, which is what is causing the weakness, tremors, and some of the other issues he’s been having in the last month or so. It will keep spreading until his body simply gives out from the stress of trying to compensate for the Stigma.” Rufus stared at the floor, his arms resting on his knees as he held his face in his hands and took a deep ragged breath, trying to calm himself and fight back the burning sensation he was feeling behind his eyes.

“And still no closer to the developing a cure?” Elena asked trying to not sound too desperate.

Rude just shook his head solemnly, earning a disheartened sigh from the petite blonde.

Rufus was about to say something when the sound of someone banging on the door echoed loudly in the suddenly quiet room. Rufus sighed as he slowly stood.

“Talk about timing” Rude muttered.

“Don’t imagine he’d go away if I ignored him?” Rufus asked half-jokingly as he walked over to the door and opening it. 

“Ah Tseng, glad you could join us, finally” Rufus said, unable to keep the cold bite out of his voice.

“Rufus” Tseng said simply, not even bothering to acknowledge what Rufus had said. “We need to talk.”


	7. A Line in the Sand

Chapter 7 Shit hits the fan and Rufus has to make a choice about where his focus will lie- with the firecracker who has stolen his heart or the company that got him to where he is today. Major confrontation ahead between Rufus, Tseng, and the rest of the Turks. Listen to From Now On from Greatest Showman to set the mood for this chapter as it was what I was listening to when I started it.

Rufus sighed as he closed the door behind the Turk who had not even so much as looked at him.

“Yes, Rufus, nice to see you too, how have you and Reno been? Oh, we’re hanging in there, thanks for asking” Rufus said in a mocking tone as he glared at the back of Tseng’s head as he walked away and into the living room.

“And of course you two are here instead of at work,” Tseng said as he looked at Rude and Elena.

“It’s our day off” Elena said hesitantly. “So, what does it matter where we spend it?”

Rude just stared at the dark-haired Turk and gave him a less than amused glare. 

“So, where’s the little moocher?” Tseng said, not even bothering to acknowledge Elena’s comment.

Rufus took a slow deep breath as he walked in and sat back down on the couch. Elena took Reno’s seat and Rude remained seated, forcing Tseng to take the seat closest to him.

“Reno,” Rufus said, emphasizing his name, “is sleeping so I would appreciate it if you didn’t wake him up. He’s having a rough day.”

“Pfft, seems to be the norm. Do you know how many meetings you have canceled or just not bothered to show up to in just the last three months?” Tseng closed his eyes, his brow wrinkled with annoyance. “Far too many!”

“Tseng, what does it matter?” Rufus said with a sigh. “That is why I have you Turks- to be where I cannot be and do things on my behalf. It has always been that way, so why is it now suddenly such a problem for you?”

“You can’t honestly think I would be ok with becoming your messenger boy and errand boy, while that pathetic excuse for a former Turk gets to keep mooching off of us?”

Rufus felt his blood start to boil as his fists tightened at his sides. He saw Elena shift uncomfortably beside him and Rude’s eyes narrowed as he looked over at his fellow Turk.

“I am going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” Rufus said, fighting to keep his voice calm and even.

“Come on, you can drop the ruse, Rufus. Whatever your game is you can end it” Tseng said, his voice growing louder. “We all know Rufus Shinra is incapable of love. When you first adopted that stray mutt and brought him in to be one of us, I chalked it up to you wanting to play games and break him. Then you both started this ridiculous farce of a relationship and I knew you were just looking for someone to satisfy you need for power and dominance. There has never been any love between the two of you, and you know it. Rufus Shinra is incapable of loving anything other than himself. Everything you have done your entire life has been to build this company and grow your power. So, for the love of Shiva, why are you throwing it all away now for that useless dog you seem to have given up everything for? He has nothing to offer you and is pulling you away from everything you have fought for. You have lost your mind Rufus, if you’re willing to give this all up for that worthless piece of Midgar gutter trash!”

‘Tseng!” Elena exclaimed in shock.

“That was uncalled for,” Rude said his voice tight.

“Oh, sorry Rude” Tseng said with a smirk “I forgot how close you and the boss’ pet used to be!”

Rude made to stand up and he glared at his fellow Turk but Rufus raised his hand and shook his head.

“It’s alright, Rude. Tseng can’t help that he is an ignorant ass.”

“Tell me I am wrong then Rufus. Do you truly want to be living like this, to give everything up, for the sake of someone as reckless and pathetic as Reno? Tell me Rufus, do you actually love him?”

Rufus stood and looked down at the Turk he once would have trusted with his life. The look in his eyes a mix of anger and sadness as he took a deep breath.

“I would die this very instant if it would mean Reno would be spared the suffering of the Stigma. There was a time when I thought my heart would feel nothing but cold bitterness and burning anger. But that has changed now. Now I have something… someone… worth living for. I just wish you could know what that feels like, Tseng.”

“So… that is it then? You’re willing to turn your back on us and the company?”

“I’m only having to turn my back on you because you are forcing me to do so! You know what Shinra Corp means to me and I would have hoped you knew how much you Turks mean to me. But if you force my hand and make be choose, I will choose Reno each and every time, without hesitation!”

“Then you are leaving me no choice but to make a motion for a vote of no confidence at the board meeting in three days.”

“Well, I hate to break it to you Tseng, but you’re too late,” Rude said as he locked eyes with his fellow Turk.  
“What is he talking about, Rufus?”

“Your vote of no confidence won’t matter because I have already made a motion of my own for the board to vote on at their next meeting,” Rufus said simply.

“And what motion is that?” Tseng asked bitterly.

“I am making the motion that rather than selecting someone to act as vice president in my absence at meetings and important hearings, I am stepping down as president of Shinra Power Corp.”

The room fell silent as those words sank in. Tseng’s mouth fell open in shock as he tried to make sense of what Rufus was saying.

“I’m turning over the power and authority to manage the day to operations and all major aspects of Shinra Corp over to the three of you,” Rufus said simply, watching Tseng closely.

“The… the three of us?”

“That’s right Tseng,” Elena said as she looked at the dark-haired man. “You, me, and Rude will be equal holders in Shinra.”

“Rather than one person holding all the power and control, the three of us will share it,” Rude said, his eyes meeting Tseng’s, forcing the other man to look away. 

“With the three-way divide, no one person has more control and a simple majority vote will ensure there are no standoffs and stalemates on important decisions” Rufus stated. 

“You can’t do this” Tseng muttered, his voice shaking with anger. “I was the one in line to become vice president. I was your selected second in command! And now you want to just take from me what is mine?”

“I am the one who says what is and is not yours” Rufus shouted, the anger he felt starting to come through. “I am the one who chose you to be one of my Turks in the first place. And though I am surrendering control as the president of the company, I am not walking away from the company and I am still going to be on the board and be involved and have a say in what happens with the company. So, if this was your attempt at a coup, then I am sorry Tseng. It’s not going to work. You can either accept how things are going to go or you are free to leave the service of the Turks anytime you wish.”

“Are you saying you are firing me?” Tseng growled. 

“Not at all. What I am saying is that if you can’t follow my orders and wishes, and if you cannot accept how things are going to be, then you are free to leave.”

“I can’t believe the two of you are going along with this!” Tseng shouted as he looked at Elena and then Rude in disbelief. “You are really willing to throw everything we have worked so hard for away, to give it up…for the likes of that pathetic weakling who is just taking advantage of you all?”

“Absolutely,” Elena said with a nod. 

“Without hesitation” Rude replied as he locked eyes with Tseng yet again.

“Fine. If that is how you want it, so be it! I will play along!” Tseng yelled. “You all are going to be the cause of the downfall of Shinra, mark my words! You are going to regret throwing your lives and your future away for a stray who couldn’t cut it and left the Turks! You, Rufus” he said looking at the blonde squarely “are an idiot for giving it all up for that whelp!”

Rufus was about to lit into the Turk standing before him when something caught his eye, causing him to look past Tseng and towards the bedroom.

There in the doorway stood Reno. Dark Nation was at his side, pushing against him to support the redhead as he leaned against the doorframe. Reno’s hand clutched at the thick fur as he struggled to push himself upright. Reno had always been small and scrawny, but after three years fighting the Stigma and now standing next to the hulking form of the black feline, he looked all the more frail. 

“Tseng” he said his voice weak but surprisingly loud. “You can say…what you want to.. about me. But do not… ever…badmouth Rufus!”

Tseng scoffed as he shot a look at the blonde.

“I think you need to teach your mutt how to behave himself.”

“You know… I used to… look up to you…” Reno said as he took a few shaky steps into the room, Dark Nation staying right at his side. “I wanted…to be like you once. But now… now I see that you… you are to be pitted…not respected.” Reno’s voice was getting weaker and his breaths grew shallow and ragged, yet he kept Tseng’s gaze locked with his. “Tseng…I want you to go… and don’t ever… come back. I don’t want… to see you again! I…”

Reno’s voice trailed off as he started to cough, the pain flaring as it stole his very breath away. The coughing grew worse as Reno sank to the floor, Dark Nation moving to support him as his body gave out. Rufus jumped to his feet followed by Elena as they ran towards Reno. The redhead was gasping, doubled over in pain as he struggled to catch his breath. His body trembled and shuddered with the pain and effort it took just to catch his breath as the Stima’s pain, coupled with the great exertion, made drawing a single breath excruciating. Rufus knelt beside Dark Nation and lifted Reno up, trying to help him breathe easier as his lover gasped and choked on every ragged breath he tried to take. He shot a murderous look over at Tseng.

“Get out. And unless I call you… I don’t want to see you here… ever again!”

Rufus was shaking with anger as he looked back down at his lover. Reno was struggling for every shallow breath he could get and Rufus could see the pain as well as the fear in those emerald eyes. Rufus shifted slightly and effortlessly gathered Reno up and headed back into the bedroom, the redhead’s hands clinging to Rufus’ shirt as he struggled to catch a full deep breath.

“Elena, will you help me please?”

The petite blonde nodded and followed after Rufus quickly. Dark Nation stopped in the doorway and turned and snarled at Tseng before walking in after her master. Rude stood, his tower form looming over Tseng.

“Leave” he said simply, watching as Tseng made his way towards the door. “And don’t come back.”

“Don’t worry Rude, I won’t. But this is not the last you have seen of me. Remember, we are now partners, in more ways than one.”

In the bedroom, Rufus heard the door close and the click of the lock and he felt his body relax just a little. Rude was soon standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

“Tseng is gone,” he said simply, Rufus nodding in response as he tended to Reno. 

He held Reno in his arms gently as the ragged and painful breaths of his lover echoed loudly in his ears, gripping his heart with icy fear. Dark Nation sat beside the bed, her massive head resting beside Reno, one large paw in his lap as she licked at his hand gently, trying in her own way to comfort the redhead laying in her master’s arms.

“Elena… can you grab the extra pillows from the closet?” Rufus asked as he sat on the bed and held Reno’s trembling form up against his chest. Slipping the oxygen mask back on, he held Reno close and studied his face, praying that it would be enough.

Elena ran and got the pillows and helped Rufus get Reno propped up as best as they could. The redhead’s eyes were closed tight in pain and his breathing was still shallow and ragged. Rufus gently rubbed his lover’s chest trying to help him calm down and relax and get his breathing under control.

“Relax Reno… it’s ok. We’re right here..” Rufus whispered softly as he continued to rub. “Remember, I love you… and I’ll always be here for you…”

“Tseng is gone Reno, you don’t have to worry,” Elena said as she took her friend’s hand in hers. “Rude and I are right here. You’re safe.”

Hearing their voices seemed to help because slowly Reno’s body started to relax slightly though he was still trembling in pain. His breathing was growing deeper and less ragged and he began to drift back into an exhausted sleep, his body still trembling with pain and exhaustion. After watching for a time to make sure he was ok, Rufus finally allowed himself to relax a little. Shifting on the bed slightly he put his face in his hands and leaned over on his knees, taking a deep shaking breath.

“I can’t lose him…” he muttered, his voice trembling with the fear he fought so desperately to keep at bay. “I can’t…” 

Rufus’ body began to shake as the tears began to form. It wasn’t that he hadn’t cried at all the last few years, but he always made it a point to not let Reno see him cry. And Elena and Rude had only seen the tears fall a handful of times since Reno had been struck by the Stigma. He always tried to put on a brave face and to be the strong one. But right then… after dealing with Tseng and the worry about Reno and the fear he felt clutching at his heart… it was just too much to hold back and the tears began to fall.

Rude stood silently at the foot of the bed, standing guard silently his eyes sad behind those shades as he watched his former partner laying in such pain. Elena put a gentle hand on Rufus’ shoulder, not knowing what to say and at the same time know there was nothing to say. Dark Nation jumped off the bed and pushed her way between Rufus’ knees and nuzzled against him. The usually stoic and strong blonde responded by wrapping his arms around her, tears falling onto the soft black fur. And in the bed, Reno lay sleeping fitfully, the hum of the machine that was helping him breathe muffling the sound of Rufus’ heart cracking yet again as he sobbed.


	8. Making a Deal With the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to the song All About Us by TATU for this chapter. Rufus and the Turks make a deal with the ‘devil’ in their continued effort to save Reno and find a cure. Can you trust someone when the trust was shattered long ago? Even if they are your only option?

Days passed and turned into weeks. Weeks passed and turned into months. As time passed, much stayed the same. Reno had good days and bad days. Rude and Elena still came by and checked on them often. Rufus barely ever left Reno’s side and when he did it was only for those essential meetings at Shinra that Rude and Elena couldn’t handle, and even then, it was only for a few hours max and Rude or Elena was always with Reno. Rufus was doing the best he could, but the years of being not just Reno’s lover but also his caretaker wear starting to wear him down. He wasn’t sleeping much at all and when he was the sleep was broken and plagued with nightmares and memories. He would go days sometimes without sleeping and it was obviously starting to get the best of him. Rude had started coming by more often when he could on his days off and sit with Reno so Rufus could get at least a few hours of sleep more than he was. Elena also started coming around more frequently as well to help out and lighten the load that Rufus was trying to carry on his own. Rufus was grateful to them, though he didn’t know how to express it fully; he just hoped they realized what it meant to him and to Reno.

On this particular day, they all were gathered in the small living room. Rufus sat on the couch, Reno stretched out beside him, head resting on his legs. Rude sat in the chair across the room and Elena sat on the arm of the couch near Rufus. The mood was quiet and somber as Reno curled up tightly and wrapped his arms around the blonde.

“I’m not going…” he muttered as he buried his face in the simple black shirt Rufus wore. “Don’t want to go.”

“Sorry Firecracker,” Rufus said gently as he gently stroked the red hair of his lover. “You know it has to be done.”

“But… they frighten me” Reno whispered, knowing how pathetic he must sound.

“Anyone with half a brain cell would be frightened by the Shinra R&D team,” Rude said simply.

“But they are also the only ones who have the tech and resources to help us fight the Omegastigma” Elena said, trying to sound optimistic and encouraging.

“Elena is right, Reno,” Rufus said softly and he continued to stroke the redhead’s hair. “They are the ones who have been working on a cure. They are the ones who developed your medicine. And they are the ones who know the most about the Stigma. They are the only option we have right now.”

“I know…” Reno said with a sigh as he rolled onto his back and looked up at Rufus. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“Honestly none of us like it” Rude said as he shook his head. “But it is what it is.”

It was little wonder Reno was terrified anytime they had to go see the scientists and researchers at R&D. It was the Shinra scientist after all who had worked alongside Hojo. Any group with that kind of association and reputation was bound to have some prejudice that would be difficult to overcome for anyone. Rufus loathed having to count on them. He would have sooner made a deal with the devil than trust anyone who had any connection or association with the deranged scientists. But as Rude said, it was what it was and they had no other place to turn now. Shinra R&D had the latest technology, access to all the data about Geostigma and Omegastigma, and were the only ones who were even attempting to find a cure and treat those who still had the stigma. So it was that they served as Reno’s de facto doctors and medical team and today was the day Reno was due back for his scheduled evaluation. They all would be going as not one of them trusted Shinra scientists and never let Reno out of their sight during their visits. It was a necessary evil but they were going to minimize the time Reno had to be around them as much as possible. 

“Come on Firecracker, it’s time to go,” Rufus said softly as he leaned over and kissed the read head and ruffled his hair, trying to keep a smile on his face. “Remember, I love you and I’ll be right here beside you the entire time.”

Reno sighed as he sat up and ran his hands through his hair. He glanced over at Elena who gave him a soft smile and then to Rude to stood and handed him his jacket. The redhead smiled sadly, grateful that his friends were still there and still cared, but also sad that they were getting pulled down into everything with him. They deserved better.

“Let’s get this over with” he sighed as he stood and started towards the door, feeling his body beginning to tremble slightly as Rufus put his arm around his shoulder.

A few minutes later they were in the car, Elena in the front seat and Rufus sitting with Reno in the backseat as Rude drove. The ride took only a short time and they rode in silence. The entire time Reno clung to Rufus as he fought against the panic and pain that was washing over him.

………………

By the time they arrived at the R&D facility, Reno had calmed down some but still trembling as he buried his head against his lover’s chest.

“I’m sorry Rufus” he mumbled so quietly Rufus could barely hear him.

“Nothing to apologize for Firecracker,” Rufus said gently. “It’s all going to be ok.”

Reno looked up at his and nodded and closed his eyes as the blonde leaned over and kissed him softly. For that moment Reno felt the fear and uneasiness leave him and as they broke the kiss, he took a deep breath and reached over and opened the car door and climbed out. 

A young man in a white lab coat greeted them as they exited the car and lead them inside. Reno stared at the floor as they walked towards the back of the building. He had been there many times before. He didn’t need to look at what was going on around him. All he wanted was to get this over and done with and get out of there as fast as possible. 

A few minutes later they were back in a familiar room where they usually ran the tests and scans to check the progression of the Stigma and to do all the sciencey stuff they needed to do. Reno looked up to see the ‘doctor’ coming towards them and despite his best efforts he felt his heart begin to race and he pushed himself against Rufus. The man bore an unfortunate resemblance to Hojo, which didn’t help the redhead’s anxiety any at all. Rufus put a comforting arm around Reno as he and the others entered the room.

Everything went as per normal. Reno ended up having to be sedated in order to get the scans and testing done because he ended up in a full blown panic attack before they could even get started. From the time they walked in Rufus never left Reno’s side and Rude and Elena were never far away either. Necessity made it so they had to trust Shinra R&D but that trust only went so far. And now as Rufus watched his lover slip into a deep sleep and his grip on his hand finally loosened, he let go, stepping back to let the team do their work, never taking his eyes off the one thing that meant the most to him in the world. Rude and Elena came and stood by him and silently they watched, keeping a careful eye on everything that was done and every person who came into contact with their beloved redhead.

Hours later they were gathered the small bed where Reno lay, waiting for him to wake up. Rufus sat in the chair beside the bed, Elena sat on the edge of the bed, and Rude stood against the wall near the foot of the bed keeping watch. The de facto doctor who had been managing Reno’s treatment approached them carrying a clipboard and several papers and scan images. Rufus looked up and let go of Reno’s hand and stood.

“So, what’s the latest update?” Rufus asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice. He knew it wouldn’t be good news. Omegastigma was just as deadly as Geostigma had been and with no cure known it was all just a waiting game. But he still couldn’t help but hold onto hope that something might change and that his Firecracker would be the one to beat the odds.

“We ran the normal bloodwork, tests, and scans as per usual” the doctor, whose name badge read Kane on it, said as he flipped through the files and pulled out one of the papers and looked it over. “Markers are all still following the typical path that shows a continued progression of the Omegastigma. As you all are aware, the Stigma seems to be much like a cancer with how it reacts to the body and spreads. Our tests and scans can highlight where it is and thus, we can track how much and how fast it is spreading. These are the scans from today” he said as he pulled over the small bedside table and laid a few images out. “And these are from a year ago” he said as he laid out a few more nest to those.

Elena and Rude moved to stand with Rufus as they looked at the images. Even to eyes who had not seen similar scan results for the past three years, it was obvious things were worse now than they were before. Compared to a year ago, much more of the images was highlighted, showing a spread of the Stigma, far beyond what was apparent from the outside. Rude glanced over at Rufus who just stared at the images, the look in his eyes reflecting the pain he felt as he felt his heart sink.

“So, as you can see from the comparison” Kane continued “the Stigma has spread quite a bit over the past year. It has spread more throughout the lungs, which explains the increased difficulty with his breathing. The couple of spots in the brain have also grown and a few new ones were detected this time as well. Obviously, it is also spreading outwardly as well on his back, arm, and neck. There is some concern that it may start to spread to the spine given its proximity, but at this time there is no indication of that happening right now.”

“So what does this mean for Reno?” Elena asked softly. “Has there been any progress on developing a cure?”

“We are still working on it and have a new batch we are about to begin trials with. But at this time, no…we have nothing that could be called a cure for Omegastigma yet. So, what this means for Reno is we just continue as we have. Try to keep him as comfortable as you can, give him his medicine when he needs it. Which reminds me….” Kane reached into the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out a vial and handed it to Rufus. “A stronger formulation than the last one. The way the Stigma is progressing, I’m afraid he is going to need it sooner rather than later.”

Rufus nodded as he stared at the medicine vial in his hands. Without a word, he slipped it into his pocket as he turned and looked back down at the redhead who was beginning to stir slightly.

“With the worsening of the Stigma to the lungs, we also want him to use the oxygen mask whenever he needs to. I know you said he hates being stuck in bed any more than he has to…. So we have this he can use” Kayne said as he picked up a small black duffle bag and set it on the foot of the bed and unzipped it.

Inside was a portable oxygen machine that was just a little larger than a shoe box, complete with hose and mask, all in an easy to carry bag.

“It is a little on the heavy side so he may need some help with it, but at least he won’t be stuck in the bed as much if that helps him feel any better. I’m sorry there’s not more we can do for him right now, but we will let you know as soon as we find out anything from the trial of this latest cure test.”

“Thank you, Kane” Rufus said as he looked up at the doctor and looked him in the eyes for the first time since they had arrived. “We appreciate your efforts” Rufus looked at him, his eyes exhausted and dull but a sincere thanks shone through still. As much as he still distrusted the Shinra R&D they had done their best by Reno so far and for that, Rufus was grateful.”

“Of course, Sir” Kayne said as he nodded and then turned his attention to Reno. “Looks like he is starting to come around. You all are of course welcome to stay and wait for him to full awaken or, seeing as how you have done this all many, many times, you are free to take him home and let him recover there if you prefer.”

“Thanks but I think we will take him home now” Rude said as he stepped towards the bed.

“Reno always does better if he can wake up at home” Rufus said as he stepped aside and let Rude and Elena get ready. As he did, Kayne motioned for him to join him away from the bed.

“Sir, there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

Rufus looked at the man in the lab coat and waited for him to continue.

“There is something else we have. For you.”

“For me?” Rufus asked, raising an eyebrow as Kayne pulled a small white bottle out of his pocket.

“I know how hard it is to… take care of someone… and to watch someone you care about suffer…” Kayne watched the blonde closely, knowing the temper that Rufus Shinra was once so famous for. “And Rude and Elena have mentioned several times about how stressed and worn out you are and how hard it is for you to sleep.”

Rufus sighed as he glanced over at Rude and Elena, shooting them mental daggers. He was glad they cared so much and were watching out for him… but damned they could be a pain at times.

“These are for you,” Kayne said as he handed the bottle of pills to Rufus. “They will help you relax and be able to sleep a little better. Take one and see how you do. You can take up to two a day but no more than that. And I would recommend having Rude or Elena stay over the first few times you take it- you will likely be knocked out hard if you are as sleep-deprived as they say you are. That way you don’t have to worry about Reno being alone until you figure out how it is going to affect you.”

Rufus nodded and muttered his thanks, still taken aback by just how much his Turks still did seem to care about him. A slight smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he slipped the bottle into his pocket along with the vial for Reno. 

“Rufus, are you ready to go?” Elena called out from the other side of the room.

Rufus nodded and made his way to the bed. Picking up the black bag he headed for the door as Elena held it open. Rude leaned over and lifted Reno out of the bed like he weighed next to nothing, the redhead muttering to himself as he gripped the front of Rude’s jacket. Rufus headed to the car and climbed into the back seat and pulled Reno close as Rude got him situated in the back seat as well. Elena climbed into the front seat and soon Rude was taking them back home.

…………..

Reno’s recovery from the anesthesia went about as good as it normally did. The tremors eventually subsided, the vomiting stopped and he spent the rest of the day resting as his body tried to recover. Reno sat on the couch, the black bag at his feet as he tried out the new oxygen machine. It worked and he did feel better and was breathing easier but by Shiva he hated wearing these things. He gave a sigh as he petted the great black form of Dark Nation as she lay beside him. A few hours later he pulled the mask up and looked over at Rufus as he started to try and stand.

“Gotta go” he muttered as he nodded towards the bathroom. He pushed himself up slowly and stood, Rufus watching him closely. He knew Reno hated how helpless he felt much of the time but he also didn’t want the redhead to hurt himself. 

“Keep the mask on,” Rufus said gently, hearing how hard his lover was already breathing just from that effort. Rufus was about to stand and help Reno as he watched the redhead struggling to pick up the bag off the couch.   
But before he could, Dark Nation jumped off the couch and walked over and stood beside Reno, just as she did any time he was unsteady on his feet. Rufus watched in surprise though as Dark Nation lifted her head and grabbed the handle of the bag in her mouth and lifted it. She lifted her head and looked at Reno waiting for him to lead the way.

“Well I be damned” Rude muttered as he chuckled.

“Good girl Dark Nation!” Elena said with a smile on her face.

“That’s my girl,” Rufus said as he leaned over and scratched the top of her head affectionately.

“Oh yay,” Reno said with a smile but tone of mock horror in his voice “I get to have an audience!”

He smiled down at the great cat and petted her head and then took a shaky step away from the couch and slowly made his way across the room, Dark Nation staying at his side, keeping her pace slow and steady so she was there whenever Reno needed to lean against her.

“Thanks, girl...” he whispered as he stepped into the spacious bathroom and closed the door behind them.


	9. Perfectly Imperfect to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a more lighthearted and a little dirty chapter. Enjoy a look into the relationship Reno and Rufus had years ago, before there was ever any concern over Stigma or anything other than trying to keep their relationship a secret. Listen to the song Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur for this chapter- think it fits pretty good with the relationship that these two have had in the past. Anyway, enjoy and please review and let me know what you think!

It had taken a few days to get it set up but Elena and Rude both had managed to get the same day off, so they had agreed to stay with Reno while Rufus tried the new medicine that the doctors had given him. At the doctor’s advice, he made sure at least one of them was able to be with Reno at all times, as he was planning on the likelihood of being knocked out for most of the day. Once Rude and Elena were there and settled in, Rufus sat on the couch with Reno for a little while before the redhead pulled his arm from around him and gave him a gentle push.

“Go get some rest Rufus…” he said with a reassuring smile “I’ll be fine. Rude and Elena are here.”

“You know we’ll take care of him, Rufus,” Elena said as she put a hand on his shoulder.

“Get your rest” Rude said simply as he sat down in the chair across from the couch.

“I’ll be fine” Reno whispered leaning in and kissed Rufus softly. “I’ll come check on you later.”

Rufus closed his eyes and sighed into the kiss, fighting back the urge to moan as his lover pulled back slowly. Reluctantly he stood and made his way down the hall towards the small office he had set up. Hardly ever used the last few years, there was a small desk, a bed and a bookshelf and not much else in the small room. Closing the door behind him, Rufus sighed and walked over to the desk. He pulled the bottle out of his pocket and set it on the desk as he sipped his shirt off and let his pants drop to the floor, standing there in just the black boxers that had become his standard attire whenever Rude and Elena were not around. Reaching for the bottle of water he had brought with him, Rufus shook out one of the tiny blue pills and took it. 

A few minutes later he was laying in the bed, staring up at the ceiling. A slight smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he heard Reno and Elena talking and laughing down the hallway. Closing his eyes, he tried to get comfortable as he waited for the drugs to take effect. Moments later he was finally sinking into a deep sleep for the first time in months. And as he slept, he dreamt of Reno.

……………………..

“Come in” Rufus said as he acknowledged the knock on the door without looking up from the pile of papers he had on his desk. It was already late and everyone else had pretty much left the building to head home. As usual, Rufus was still at his desk dealing with the seemingly never-ending piles of paperwork.

The door creaked open slowly as Reno poked his head in cautiously and looked around, never quite sure what to expect when the Vice President called him into his office.

“You called for me boss?”

“Yes, Reno. Stop loitering in my doorway and come in.”

Reno stepped in and quickly closed the door. Standing there silently, waiting for the blonde to speak Reno caught himself staring at him again. Silently admonishing himself, he forced himself to look away, casting his eyes to the floor as he waited for the boss to speak. Tseng had told him the boss wanted to see him as he was leaving for the night and didn’t offer any other explanation. And so it was Reno was standing there in the doorway, lustful thoughts running through his mind as he looked at the blonde sitting at the desk.

“Damnit dude, get yourself together” Reno thought to himself “He’s your boss for Shiva’s sake!”

Finally looking up from the pile of papers as he stacked them together, Rufus looked at the redhead standing before him. The Turk was far from the polished professional he had become accustomed to after working with Tseng, Elena, and Rude for so many years. This Reno was wild, brash, disrespectful, and everything but professional. Yet for some reason, Rufus found himself oddly intrigued by the young man who stood before him. They couldn’t be more than five years apart in age, but the differences in personality made it seem like more than that much of the time. Whatever it was about the redhead Turk, Rufus was thankful that whatever gods there still might be had brought the rebel to him.

Clearing his throat slightly, Rufus picked up the pile of papers and set them into an already filled box and stood. As he picked up the box, he walked from behind the desk and handed the box to Reno. As he did, he paused for a moment and looked into those bright green eyes before turning away slightly and grabbed his coat.

“I need you to help me bring these papers back to my place. I have a lot more work to do but the office it too cramped and uncomfortable for another all-nighter.”

Reno looked down at the box in his hands and then up at his boss. He saw that familiar look in those deep blue eyes, and he felt his heartbeat quicken as he fought to hide his excitement.

“Sure, whatever yo,” he said as he shifted the box in his arms slightly and turned and opened the door for Rufus. “You got that fierce beast of yours at your place still?

“Of course, Reno” Rufus said with a scoff. “Where else would she be? Don’t worry. Dark Nation is out on the balcony tonight so you can stop worrying about messing up another shirt.”

Yo, it’s not like it was my fault last time!” Reno protested. “It wasn’t my fault she got out of the back room somehow and attacked me!’ Reno pouted slightly as he trudged after Rufus, the cumbersome box growing heavy in his hands. “And that was one of my best shirts too…”

Rufus just chuckled as he cast a glance back over his shoulder at the firecracker trudging along behind him. Reno was… imperfect in many ways, yet to Rufus he was absolutely perfect, in every annoying and captivating way. He had truly never met someone like this firecracker Turk and though he had spent much of his childhood and adult life knowing what love felt like- to get or give- the redhead was showing him that even an old heartless bastard like himself could learn to love and learn to be loved. Rufus smiled to himself slightly as he quickened his pace slightly.

Reno followed the blonde down the hallway and to the elevator that was reserved for him alone as it was the only one that lead to the penthouse on the top floor. Entering the elevator, Rufus swiped the cardkey and leaned back against the mirrored steel walls and closed his eyes as they rode the few floors up to the top. The redhead couldn’t keep his eyes off the blonde; it was all he could do to not just drop the box and pin the asshole against the wall he was leaning against right then and there. But no, he knew he had to wait. With a heavy sigh Reno tapped his foot impatiently, silently cursing the slow elevator.

“As hotheaded and impatient as ever I see” Rufus said, his voice cold and stern, but there was a playful gleam in those blue eyes as he looked across the small elevator to the redhead.

“Just wish you would do something about these slow elevators…” Reno muttered.

Rufus was about to say something when the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. With a smirk he stepped out and started down the hallway, Reno close behind him. A few minutes later they were in Rufus’ private penthouse. Walking in, Reno set the box on the small table that was set by the door, knowing that it wouldn’t be touched for the rest of the night. As he closed the door behind him, he locked it, as was custom per Rufus’ instructions. 

This was far from the first time Reno had been to Rufus’ place. Indeed, he knew exactly what the blonde had planned for the night most likely. Yet he couldn’t keep his heart from racing with excitement. Damn the jerk for being far too sexy and attractive; even now, after three years, he still felt himself fall in love with the blonde each and every time they were together. He both loved and hated how it made him feel. Reno’s thoughts were interrupted as he heard Rufus speak.

“So, are you going to just stand there gawking all night?”

That was the only invitation the rebellious Turk needed. As he strode across the room to where Rufus stood, his black suit jacket fell to the floor. As he stood right before the blonde, Reno reached out and pushed Rufus’ jacket off and began fumbling with the layers underneath.

“You wear far too many damned clothes” he muttered as he tossed the white coat to the floor and began pulling up the black shirt.

“You know you like the challenge” Rufus muttered as he pushed the white shirt off his lover’s shoulders, thankful once again that the rebel never followed dress code and almost never had it buttoned up fully. 

Reno growled slightly as he felt those fingers, soft from an easy life of luxury, trace down his chest and then run along the waistband of his slacks. Reno gripped his lover’s wrist and pushed his hand away slightly as he looked up at those bright blue eyes that seemed to silently plead with him.

“Not here,” he said simply as he turned and pulled the blonde with him into Rufus’ bedroom.

The view out the large full glass wall of the bedroom gave a magnificent view of Midgar. But that night Reno cared only for the view he was getting from inside. Without a word, he pointed to the bed and as Rufus sat down, the redhead pulled the curtains closed. 

“I’ve told you before, no one can see up this high,” Rufus said with a soft chuckle.

“Not taking any chances yo. Wouldn’t be good for any wandering eyes to see the Vice President of Shinra getting his ass fucked by one of his Turks,” Reno said as he strode over and laid his hand against the bare chest of his lover and pushed him back down on the bed. 

Rufus silently complied and fell back on the bed, his hands starting to loosen the tie that was still hanging around his neck.

“Leave it” Reno commanded as he leaned over and pressed his lips against his lovers, his hand reaching up and tugging on the tie slightly. “Afterall, I know you like it” he said as he pulled a little harder, earning a moan from the blonde.

Reno couldn’t help but laugh to himself a little. Even after three years of them being together like this, it still amazed him at times how much of a submissive the blonde could be. At work Rufus was the cold, calculating, and at times violent man everyone feared and respected. But whenever it was just the two of them together, especially together like this, it was like a switch got flipped and Rufus’ true nature came out. Rufus was almost always the first to instigate or at times even allow their trysts to happen, yet it was usually Reno who ended up taking the lead and was the dominant one in most of their encounters. Not that he complained, it fit how he like it too, he just never would have imagined it would be Rufus Shinra laying under him.

One of the first times they had been together after they has started unofficially dating, for a lack of a better term, Reno had actually brought it up. Rufus said it was like he had been told all his life how to act and behave. He had been groomed to be a leader and had been taught how to ignore emotions and focus on himself. After the death of his mother there had been no love in his life at all and her death had taught him that feeling love towards anyone was only an opportunity to get hurt. 

All his life he had felt like he was living a lie, but he had never known what that lie was really or what to do about, until he met Reno. The rebellious Turk had ignited feelings in him he had long since suppressed and even some he never even knew he was capable of feeling. That was the night Rufus first said the words “I love you” to Reno and the redhead would never forget it for as long as he lived.

Reno shook his head, clearing away the memories as he smiled down at the blonde who was laying under him, bright blue eyes silently gleaming with the need that Reno knew burned only for him. Reno pushed himself up and stood by the bed as he undid the suite pants he wore, letting them fall to the floor, followed by the white boxers with red hearts that he was wearing. Rufus shook his head and scoffed.

“You still wear those god-awful things?”

“Why wouldn’t I, yo? They were a present from you after all…”

“That I gave you as a joke for our first Valentines together,” Rufus laughed.

“Well, I like them. That is all that matters” Reno said as he kicked the pile of clothes to the side. “What about you huh? What you got on under them fancy white duds?”

“Why don’t you find out….” Rufus said with a playful grin.

“Oh, look who’s getting all playful,” Reno said as he pulled his lover’s pants off and stopped, growling with desire as he looked up at his over once more. “Going commando? You dirty slut.”

“Only your dirty little slut,” the blonde groaned as he felt Reno’s hand slide down his chest as he crawled onto the bed and leaned over, pressing their bodies down firmly against the bed.

Reno couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He wanted Rufus, needed him and he knew his lover felt the same way. Pulling the blonde’s arms up over his head, Reno pinned them against the bed with on hand, the other sliding down between their bodies. Leaning over he kissed Rufus hard, his fingers wrapping around his lover’s already hard member and growled as the blonde arched back against him and moaned into the kiss. Reno broke the kiss with a gasp as he looked down at his lover and then kissed the side of his neck, releasing the hold on his hands. Slowly Reno moved down across his chest and over his stomach slowly as Rufus shuddered with pleasure.

“Don’t…stop..” Rufus groaned, running a hand through the tangle of red hair as his lover paused.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Reno said with a moan as he tightened his grip on his lover’s hips and pulled him closer.

……………………………

Later, as the first rays of light started to peak through the curtains, the two lovers lay in the bed still tangled in the sheets where they had fallen asleep just a few hours before. Rufus opened his eyes and smiled as he looked up into bright green eyes that stared down at him. Reno smiled and brushed the now very messy and disheveled hair back from his lover’s face.

“So, now you’re watching me sleep too,” Rufus said with a grin as he shifted closer and reached up, running his fingers through the fiery red locks. “You’re such a pervert.”

“Oh shut up yo,” Reno said with a chuckle as he looked down at the real Rufus, the Rufus that no one else ever got to see. “I can’t help it that you look so cute when you are dreaming of me.”

Rufus wrapped his arms around the younger man and held tightly as he sighed, cursing the cracks of sun that were breaking through under the curtains. He would give anything to just stay there like they were. It was so much better than living life the way he was. But he also knew he had no choice but to keep playing the game. At least for now… 

“I hate the morning..” Rufus muttered; his head nuzzled gently against Reno’s chest.

“I know” Reno said softly as he ran his fingers through the mess of blonde hair. “I know its not fair….but we will still be able to see each other every day pretty much this week.”

“Won’t be the same….”

“Maybe not yo, but as soon as we can, you know I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Rufus smiled and nodded shivering slightly as he felt Reno lean over and kiss his ear as he whispered softly, wrapping his arms around his lover.

“Remember, I love you, Rufus.”

“I love you too, Reno…”

……………

Rufus rolled over as the dream faded and his vision began to clear as he felt gently kisses on his neck. A sleepy smile played on his lips as he looked up at Reno who was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at him.

“Told you I would come check on you…” He asked as he gently pushed back a strand of hair from his lover’s face. “How are you feeling?”

“Pretty good… how long have I been asleep?”

“Most of the day. It's just about seven now. Rude went home to get some sleep. Elena said she’d stay here tonight if we needed.”

Rufus nodded, feeling the most rested he had in the longest time, yet he still felt incredibly sleepy.  
“You doing ok firecracker?”

“I’m fine,” Reno said with a smile as he started to stand to leave. “You get some more sleep Rufus. Elena and I will be fine…”

Reno was cut off as he felt a hand grab his wrist and pull him back down on the bed.

“Stay,” Rufus said simply. “Please” he whispered as he pulled Reno closer so the redhead was laying in the bed beside him. Rufus wrapped his arms around Reno and held him close, snuggling up against him.

“Elena is still here” Reno reminded him with a soft kiss to his forehead.

“Don’t care” Rufus muttered as he closed his eyes and tightened his hold on his lover.

Reno smiled as he snuggled closer, getting as comfortable as he could, and held Rufus close as he drifted off as well, lulled to sleep by the sound of his lover’s heartbeat. A few hours later Elena came the check on them and saw them both asleep, still in each other’s embrace. She watched as Dark Nation walked in from the living room and took her spot in the bed at their feet, stretching out over them like a giant guard cat as she closed her eyes and slept as well. Elena closed the door quietly behind her with a smile.


	10. Decisions of the Heart and Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rufus has something he needs to talk to Reno about, something he has been wanting to do but putting off for far too long. But how is he going to be able to say what is in his heart after all this time? Listen to How Did you love by Shinedown for this chapter. I think you guys are going to like it!

“Ah Rude, Elena! Good, you made it” Reno said with a smile as he opened the door, Dark Nation sitting beside him, her long tail almost twitching with excitement. “Bout time you got here,” Reno said with a laugh as he closed the door behind them.

“Well Rude took forever choosing what to get at the liquor store on our way over,” Elena said as she set the tray of food on the counter along with everything Rufus and Reno had prepared.

“Hey, you can’t rush the liquor selection,” Rude said as he set the various bottles down on the counter as well.

“Well what matters is you are here now” Rufus said with a smile. “Now this Near Years Eve party can get started.”

“We have the game table set up and ready too,” Reno said as he sat down on the couch and motioned towards the table with sever boards and play mats, multiple decks of cards and more than several large piles of game chips. 

A short time later the four friends were gathered around the table, plates piled high with food, cups filled with good drink, and for once, something other than the stigma and life in general on their minds. The hours ticked by as the new year crept closer and closer. Smiles and laugher abounded as the friends enjoyed the time together.   
A few hours before midnight, as they took a break from the cards and indulged in some more of the delicious horderves Elena had brought, they relaxed and half watched half listened to the special playing on the TV in the background. Reno sat on the couch beside Rufus a plate of food in his lap, the blonde’s arm wrapped around him as Rufus absentmindedly watch the announcements on the TV. Dark Nation lay on the floor in front of the couch asleep. Rude sat on the far end of the couch a drink in his hand and an empty plate on the table in front of him. Elena sat on the chair that had been pulled up next to the couch, balancing a plate on one knee and holding a cup of her own.

When the final count down to the new year started, the friends shared a toast and as the clock struck midnight, they drank to the brand-new year. Somewhere in the outskirts of the city, fireworks went off as Rude and Elena shared a hug and Reno and Rufus kissed. A short time later, Reno was passed out on the couch as Rufus stood and pulled the blanket up over his lover. Leaning over he kissed the redhead and went to help Rude and Elena clean up.

“Reno ok?” Elena asked as Rufus came in with the dishes and plates.

“Yeah, he’s fine. Think the alcohol just finally caught up to him” he said with a slight chuckle. “He doesn’t drink that much anymore so I think he’s turned into a bit of a lightweight.”

“Imagine,” Rude said with a laugh. “Reno Sinclair, the drunk rebel, a lightweight.”

“Never thought it would be possible either,” Rufus said as he put the dishes in the sink.

“I can remember him out-drinking anyone at the bar after a hard mission,” Elena said a sad smile as she packed away the few leftovers that were still left.

“Lot has changed,” Rude said as he started picking up the trash and empty cans and bottles.

“A lot has changed…. But he is still the same Reno we all have grown to love and need” Elena replied with a smile.   
Rufus fell silent for a moment as they finished cleaning. When the dishes were done, and everything put away, he finally spoke again.

“Rude. Elena. I… I have something I…I want to tell you both.”

“Sure boss, what is it?” Elena asked, knowing Rufus technically wasn’t their boss anymore but it being a habit, she was finding nearly impossible to break it after so many years. 

“I’ll be right back. I need to get something first” Rufus said as he headed down the hallway.

Rufus made his way to his office and headed for the desk. Stopping for a moment he pulled open the top drawer and took a deep breath as he looked down at what was in the drawer. A small wooden box sat in the otherwise empty space. Rufus stood there staring at it for a moment as his mind flipped through old memories, memories of his life, memories of his Turks, and especially memories of his firecracker. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the box and closed the drawer as he headed back to the kitchen, slipping the small box into his pocket.

Rude and Elena were sitting at the small island waiting for him. Rufus walked in and stood for a moment in silence, looking at the two Turks who had stayed loyal to him for so many years. The two Turks who had saved his life countless times and who were still just as devoted to him, even now when duty no longer bound them to him. A smile played on his lips as he took a breath and put his hand in his coat pocket.

“I had wanted some special announcement, but you know me. Eloquence is not my strong point” he said with a chuckle as he wrapped his fingers around the box. “So, I guess the easiest way to do this is to just show you.”  
Rufus pulled the box out and set it on the countertop. Silence fell as Rude and Elena stared at the box then at Rufus then back at the box.

“Is…is that what I think it is?” Elena asked as she stared at Rufus in surprise.

“Depends on what you think it is,” Rufus said with a slight chuckle as he watched their reaction.

“Open it already” Rude said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice and failing.

Rufus smiled and slowly slid the top of the box off, revealing what was inside. There laying on a piece of red satin were two rings. Each was of black polished metal with a thin silver band running through the middle. One had a small ruby set into it, the other had a small diamond set into it. Rufus looked at the rings and then up at Rude and Elena who were staring in stunned silence.

“Are… are those ….” Elena mumbled as she stared at the rings.

“Wedding bands” Rude said simply as he looked up at Rufus.

The blonde nodded as he reached out and picked up the box and held it.

“They’re for me and Reno,” Rufus said simply as he watched their reaction.

Elena broke into a huge smile as she threw her arms around him and hugged him.

“That’s wonderful,” she said, beaming with joy. “I’m sure Reno is going to love them!"

“Congrats on finally doing it,” Rude said with a smile as he put a hand on Rufus’ shoulder.

“I thought you had said you weren’t interested in doing anything formal,” Elena said as she took the box as Rufus handed to her and looked at the rings closer.

“Yeah, a while back I had” Rufus said as he leaned against the counter and sighed running his hand through his hair. “Reno had mentioned something about rings or doing something…. We had only just made the relationship officially know. I didn’t think it was something that needed to be done.”

Rufus sighed as he glanced over at the redhead who as still asleep on the couch, Dark Nation now curled up on the couch beside him, and he smiled sadly.

“But now… now things…” his voice trailed off.

“Things are different now” Rude said simply.

“Yeah,” Rufus said with a nod. “I realize it is something I want. And… and it is something Reno deserves to have too.”

“Well the rings are absolutely beautiful,” Elena said as she handed the box back to Rufus who slid the lid back on and slipped the box into his pocket once more.

“Reno will be ecstatic,” Rude said with a smile.

“I hope so. He deserves something good after all the shit he’s had to deal with these past four years now” Rufus said with a sigh.

“He already has something great,” Rude said, placing a hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “He has you and the unwavering devotion you give him every single day.”

Rufus smiled softly and nodded appreciatively.

“So, any plans yet for when you were going to do it?”

“I was planning on proposing next month….on Valentines' Day. It…It’s kind of a special day for the two of us… for a number of different reasons. But I am going to need your help.”

“Of course,” Elena said with a grin. “Whatever you need help with, anything at all!”

………………….

A few hours later, Rude, Elena, and Rufus were still sitting around the kitchen island talking when Dark Nation trotted in and walked up to Rufus and nuzzled against his leg. He leaned down and patted her head and then looked up to see Reno staggering in from the living room. He yawned and scratched the back of his head sleepily as he smiled at them.

“Still up partying without me?” he asked as he walked over and grabbed the glass from Rufus and finished it and handed him the empty cup back with a grin.

“Just talking firecracker” he said with a laugh as he pulled him close and kissed him softly. “You were too cute passed out there on the couch to wake up.”

“I’m not cute yo!” Reno said as he stuck his tongue out at his lover.

“You’re always cute when you’re drunk,” Rufus said with a laugh as he ruffed the mess of red hair and pulled Reno close.

Rude smirked and Elena tried to stifle a snicker as Reno glared at her in mock horror. Rufus smiled down at the redhead as he put his hand into his pocket and slipped the box in before Reno could see. The four of them laughed as they finished their drinks, and a few minutes later Rude and Elena were set up for the night.

Rufus had insisted that when they planned this special get together that Rude and Elena would stay over for the night. He might not be their boss anymore, but he still cared about them and their safety. He knew how bad his Turks could get when it came to drinking, even though Elena was usually pretty good about limiting herself. So, he had everything set up for them to crash there. Elena was set up in his office and Rude was going to pass out on the couch for the night. 

With the house now quiet, save for the sound of Rude who was already snoring, Reno curled up beside Rufus in their bed. His body ached and his head was pounding from the alcohol his body was no longer so used to. But he was happy, and a huge smile was plastered on his face as he snuggled against his lover’s back, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him closer. Rufus smiled and snuggled back against the redhead and gave a soft moan as he felt soft kisses run down along his neck. 

“Happy New Year, Rufus” Reno whispered as he nuzzled his head against the blonde’s neck and closed his eyes.

“Happy New Year, Firecracker” Rufus whispered back as he wrapped his arms around his lover’s keeping him close.

A few minutes later Rufus heard Reno’s soft snores and smiled. Dark Nation jumped up in the bed and curled up next to Rufus who laid a hand on her large black head and smiled. His eyes drifted over to the desk on the far side of the room and to his coat, where that small box sat safely in the deep pocket. With a smile on his face, Rufus slowly drifted to sleep as dreams and memories flooded his mind.


	11. A Special Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 11 A Special Proposal  
High time for something good to happen to our boys. The song Smile by Uncle Kracker is a good choice for this chapter. So, sit back and enjoy a sweet moment and remember to comment if you want to!

Time passed quickly and before Rufus knew it, they were already two weeks into February. It was a beautiful day and was surprisingly warm for that time of year and Reno was feeling good enough to get out of the house for once and enjoy the perfect weather. So it was that they were out in the garden, enjoying the fresh air and cool breeze for a change. 

Ever since he had bought the house outside Midgar, Rufus had been working on creating a beautiful garden area for Reno to enjoy whenever he was feeling well enough to be outside. For the last few years since Reno’s health had been deteriorating, Rufus wasn’t able to do as much work as he wanted to. Thankfully, the gardens still were being tended to and were as beautiful as ever. At Reno’s suggestion, Rufus had been hiring some of the children from the Midgar slums to do basic weeding, watering, and general care of the gardens. Having been a slum rat for most of his life before he became on of Rufus’ Turks, Reno knew how hard life on the streets could be and how much the innocent children suffered because of their lives in the slums. Over the past few years, dozens of children had come through the gardens and helped, many coming back time and time again and earning a special place in the hearts of the Turks. 

Rufus smiled as he heard the laughter coming from down the hill as Rude and Elena worked with the kids who had come by earlier that morning. He was glad that in some small way he could help and make amends for the actions of his past. Every child who worked in the gardens left with full bellies after being fed and were given a stack of gold Gil coins for what amounted to an hour or two of work and as much time as they wanted to enjoy the gardens. Rufus knew things were still bad after everything that had happened and the effects of the Geostigma were still being felt throughout the entire area. He also knew that many of the children lived together in their own adopted families and took care of each other the best that they could. 

Of all the kids who came by, one group was there on a regular basis and had become favorites of them all. Marcus was the oldest, having been 14 the first time he visited the garden. Then there was Katheryn who was 10 the first time she met Rufus and Reno. Kayden had been 7 and little Sandie was only 5 when they first came. Reno had taken to the kids almost instantly and of all those who had come by they were the ones he looked forward to seeing the most. And they seemed to take to Reno and Rufus quickly too and Elena and even Rude seemed to have a soft spot for those four.

And on this particularly beautiful day, as Reno and Rufus were out under their favorite shade tree, relaxing in the shade with Dark Nation, the sounds of laughter grew louder. A few minutes later Marcus and the others came running up the hill, Elena and Rude chasing after them. Rufus glanced down at the redhead who was asleep beside him, snuggled up against the great black form of Dark Nation. The blonde smiled as he brushed a strand of hair out of his lover’s face and turned as Marcus ran up to them, followed by the others. 

Slowing his pace down he stopped and held out his arm stopping the others from charging headlong into them. Of all the kids who had been with them, Marcus was the one who understood what Reno was going through better than most. He had lost his parents to Geostigma shortly after Meteor fell and had lived with the Stigma himself until the great healing cured the survivors. He knew better than most what living with the disease was like and how much suffering it could cause. Almost instantly he had formed a special bond with Reno, being one of the few other than Rufus himself who had any real idea of what the redhead was going through. 

“How is he?” Marcus asked, the smile and laughter gone as he nodded towards the dozing redhead.

“Good enough to be out, but still in a lot of pain. Seem to be the normal anymore…” Rufus said with a soft sigh as he watched Reno for a moment.

“Think we’d be able to say goodbye before we left?” Marcus asked as he wrapped his arms around Kayden, keeping the young boy from running and jumping on the redhead with excitement.

“Of course,” Rufus said with a smile as he leaned over and gently kissed Reno’s forehead and ran his fingers through the tangle of red hair that stood out so boldly against Dark Nation’s black fur. Slowly Reno’s eyes opened and he smiled at Rufus.

“Our gardeners have finished up and are ready to head home…” he whispered softly. “They would like to see you before they leave though.”

“Of course,” Reno said waking up quickly as he sat up, giving Dark Nation a gentle pat. “You guys can’t just up and leave without saying goodbye, yo! Though… I think this might be a high five and fist bump kind of day” he said with a slight twinge of sadness in his voice as a fresh wave of pain washed over him at the movement.

Marcus nodded and leaned over and whispered something into Kayden’s ear and then let the boy go. Kayden ran towards Reno and Rufus and then stopped short just a foot or two away and dropped to his knees with a huge grin on his face. Reno chuckled and held out his hand and smiled as Kayden copied him and they did the special handshake fits bump greeting they had come up with. 

Reno loved all the kids and these four especially, but little Kayden was the one who had really captured his heart. He was nearly 10 years old now, but still barely spoke and in many ways was much like a small child still. He had been found by Marcus as an infant among the bodies of his family, all dead from the Stigma, and even as an infant, Kayden had been stricken as well. Somehow Marcus and the others had kept him alive for months until the Geostigma was cured, but the attack on such a small body had left its toll and the young boy was non-verbal for the most part and had trouble walking and running much of the time. Reno felt his eyes start to burn as he looked at the young boy, smiling broadly at him, as he clung to his hand. Reno smiled and nodded for the others to join them.

Rufus sat and watched Reno with the kids and smiled. Katheryn sat down and pulled Kayden into her lap as they talked to Reno. Sandie walked over and handed Reno a handful of flowers from the garden and to Rufus’ surprise, she handed him a bunch as well. Marcus walked up and stood behind them, his hands resting lightly on Sandie’s shoulders, knowing how much they wanted nothing more than to smother the blonde and redhead in hugs. Though they had a hard life living alone in the slums of Midgar these kids were still full of life and joy, something that amazed both Reno and Rufus even now, almost three years later.

A gentle cough broke through their conversations as they all turned to look at Rude and Elena who were standing off a ways away watching.

“Unfortunately, I think it is time to say goodbye…” Rude said, earning whines and pleading from Sandie and even Katheryn.

“It’s getting late,” Elena said, coming to Rude’s rescue. “Time to get on back before it gets too dark.”

“And we know there are things you two need to do,” Rude replied giving Rufus a quick wink as he put the shades back on.

Rufus nodded as he felt his heart flutter slightly, feeling the small yet surprisingly heavy box still sitting in his pocket. 

No one liked the goodbyes and Rufus knew that if there was any way to make it happen Reno would jump at the chance to have the kids stay with them. But as it was, that was not an option and they all would just have to wait till next time, which he was sure would not be all that far away. After goodbyes and fist bumps had been given, Reno and Rufus stood and watched as Rude and Elena started walking back to Midgar with the kids. Elena walked hand in hand with Katheryn and Sandi and Marcus walked along talking to Rude as he carried Kayden on his shoulders. 

……………..

As they disappeared from sight over the hillside, Rufus turned and looked at the redhead as Reno sank back down to the ground and smiled as he petted Dark Nation, brushing the bright flower petals off her dark fur. The giant cat did amazingly well with the kids and even tolerated an occasional hug from Sandie. Rufus grinned and chuckled as he sat down beside his lover.

“What?” Reno asked as he saw the amused looked on his lover’s face.

“You look good with flowers in your hair,” Rufus replied with a grin and he pointed to the small white flowers Sandie had put there as they said their goodbyes.

“Right back at ya, yo!” Reno quipped, eyeing the single red flower Sandie had snuck in there as they left.

Rufus smiled as he pulled it out and looked at it, the blood-red petals almost the same shade as his firecracker’s hair. Rufus stared at the flower in silence for a few moments as the redhead leaned over and laid his head against his shoulder and sighed happily. Rufus knew they had a couple of hours before Rude and Elena would return. It was about an hour’s walk to Midgar from the house so Rufus knew now was the time to make his move. With a smile, he pulled his lover closer and slipped his hand into the pocket of his pants and wrapped his fingers around the small box. Taking a deep breath, he turned and pushed back slightly so he was looking into the piercing eyes of his firecracker. 

“You got that look again,” Reno said with a smirk.

“Just thinking about how much I love you, and how lucky I am to have you.”

“Pfft, I am the lucky one,” Reno said with a smile. “You were the one who gave me that first chance years ago when I first joined the Turks. And then you were the one who chose me out of all the people you could have had to be beside you. You chose me. And that makes me the luckiest guy alive.”

“You know I feel the same firecracker…” Rufus said as he pulled his hand out of his pocket and held Reno’s hand in his, pressing the small box into his lover’s hand. “That is why, I want to know if you would make the happiest man alive and accept this.” Rufus pulled his hand away, leaving Reno holding the small box.

Reno stared down at the box for a moment in shock. He looked up at Rufus who nodded, a soft smile on his face as he watched his lover slide the top off the box. Reno stared at the rings sitting there his eyes going wide with surprise. 

“Reno, you know you mean the world to me,” Rufus said as he laid his hand on his lover’s and looked into those deep green eyes. “Would you do me the honor of wearing my ring?”

Reno couldn’t speak for a moment as he stared from Rufus to the rings and then back.

“I… I thought you didn’t care about anything formal…” Reno said a smile spreading across his face as the realization of what Rufus was asking him sank in.

“The old me didn’t. But you have changed me Reno, and now I know what it means to you…and I finally understand what it means to me as well.”

Reno grinned broadly as he reached a hand out and ran a finger along one of the rings.

“Of course I’ll wear it, Rufus,” he said looking up at his lover. “Nothing would make me happier!”

Rufus smiled as he picked up Reno’s ring and took his lover’s hand in his and slipped the ring on. Reno stared at it a moment, the light of the sun gleaming against the polished ring and glinting off the small ruby set into it. With a huge grin, Reno carefully picked up the other ring and slipped it on Rufus’ finger and looked into the bright blue eyes that were shining as brilliantly as the diamond set into the ring.

With fingers entwined, Reno and Rufus stared at each other a moment and then kissed deeply and passionately there under the shade tree. Rufus moaned softly as the kiss finally broke and Reno pulled back slightly.

“Took you the hell long enough to do this yo…” Reno said with a playful smirk.

“Shut up and kiss me again,” Rufus moaned as he slid a hand through the red hair and pulled the younger man closer again and kissed him.

Reno gladly obliged and kissed his lover deeply as his arms wrapped around his the blonde’s neck. The two held on to each other as they fell back into the thick green grass that surrounded the tree. Breaking the kiss slightly, Rufus looked up at the redhead as he leaned over him and smiled. 

As they laid there, Rufus thought of nothing but the man who meant everything to him. He didn’t see the dark circles under his lover’s eyes. He didn’t see the worn and tired face. He didn’t see the Stigma that marred his lover’s pale skin. All he saw was Reno, the Turk who had broken through the barriers, the man who had revived his icy cold heart, and the only one he wanted beside him. Kissing his firecracker once more, Rufus shifted so they were laying side by side in the grass. He smiled as he felt the redhead snuggle up against his chest, arms wrapped around him tightly.

“I never thought this day would come…” Reno muttered against Rufus’ chest. “I was fine with it…but I have to admit, I am very happy. I am so glad that you proposed. I love the ring…”

“Finally came to my senses is all. Sorry it took me so long firecracker,” Rufus said as he gently stroked the mess of red hair that tickled his neck. “I want nothing more than to have you wear my ring, now and forever…” he whispered as he kissed the top of his lover’s head. 

“And I want nothing more than to wear it. It’s all I’ve wanted,” Reno whispered as he closed his eyes, feeling happy and relaxed for once. “Remember, I love you, Rufus…and I always will.”

“And I will always love you Reno” Rufus replied as he closed his eyes and smiled.

………………….

Some time later, as the sky turned bright with the colors of the setting sun, Rude and Elena returned from Midgar. They stopped and stared at the two lovers who were sound asleep, leaning against Dark Nation as she lay there guarding them. Elena gently cleared her throat, waking them up from their doze.

“Sorry to bother you two love birds,” Elena said trying to hide a huge grin as she saw the rings on their fingers. “Don’t want either of you catching a cold from sleeping out here all night.”

Reno yawned and stretched as he gingerly stood up, Rufus giving a drowsy nod and staggered to his feet. Reno hugged Elena as he smiled broadly showing her the ring. 

“You finally did it huh?” Rude asked with a smirk as he looked at Rufus and gave him a congratulatory slap on the shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah, I know... took me long enough,” Rufus said as he looked over and grinned at the redhead who was still gushing over the ring with Elena. 

“Have you two talked about a date yet?” Elena asked as she turned and looked at Rufus, giving him a slight wink.

“Not yet, but I guess now is as good a time as any,” he said with a smile. “Let’s go inside and talk. It’s time to celebrate for once.”

……………..

“You guys seriously knew he was going to propose back on New Year's Eve?” Reno said, mock horror in his voice as he looked over at Rude and Elena as they sat in the living room.   
Reno and Rufus were in their normal spot on the couch and Elena was sitting on the floor petting Dark Nation while Rude straddled his chair and leaned against the back.

“Well don’t hate us even more, Reno,” Rude said with a chuckle. “There’s one more surprise we have for the two of you.”

“What? What do you guys have planned now?” Reno asked with a chuckle.

“Marcus, Katheryn, Kayden, and Sandie helped us finish things up today in the garden,” Elena said with a grin.

“Finished what up? Come on, Elena, stop being so cryptic!” Reno whined.

“We’ve all been working on making a special day for the two of you” Rude said simply. “You two deserve a wedding day you both can enjoy. And we have everything set up and ready to go… so long as you are willing and wanting to do go ahead.”

“Like an actual wedding?” Reno said, his eyes going wide in surprise once again. “But where, how, when…”

“Slow down firecracker,” Rufus said with a chuckle as he took Reno’s hand in his and kissed it softly, his eyes being pulled to the ring on his lover’s hand. “Rude and Elena have it all planned out for us.”

“We’ve been fixing up the gardens so we can have the ceremony there,” Elena said. Marcus, Kayden, Katheryn, and Sandie helped us a lot and we have a perfect place picked out.”

“Ok, and what about a minister or someone?”

“Got it taken care of firecracker. You think after making you wait this long, I am going to half-ass this? It might not be the biggest or fanciest of weddings, but it is going to be an actual legitimate ceremony.”

“But who is going to…” Reno started before he was interrupted by Rude clearing his throat and raising his hand. “Rude? You?”

“Hey, I’ve actually officiated a couple of weddings in the past. I’m actually an ordained minister.”

“Never knew that…” Reno stuttered as he stared at his former partner in surprise. “All those years together, saving each other’s lives, fighting bad guys, and working together as Turks…. And you never thought to mention that you were an ordained minister!?”

“Wasn’t exactly something that comes up in normal conversation in that line of work” Rude said with a chuckle.

“Just full of surprises you guys are,” Reno said with a laugh as he shook his head. “So… when are you planning on having this big shindig?”

“Well everything is ready to go. Will just be us and the kids so anytime would work” Elena said with a smile. “We had thought about doing it tomorrow, if you are up for it and ok with it of course.”

“I’ve waited over 6 years for this sorry ass to propose,” Reno said with a chuckle as he punched Rufus’ shoulder. “I am not waiting another day. Tomorrow it is.”

“Well then we best at least try and get some sleep,” Rude said as he stood. “Especially the two of you.”

“Yeah, fat chance on that” Reno said with a chuckle, earning a mock glare from Elena. “Ok, ok.. I’ll try” he muttered as he stood and headed towards the bedroom, Rufus following after.

“See you two lovebirds bright and early in the morning” Elena called out as the bedroom door closed behind them.


End file.
